The Legacy of A Pirate: Book One
by fandorasbox
Summary: To the world, Ashlyn Hancock is dead, but when Cpt. Jack Sparrow arrives in Port Royal, he's not alone. Pirates conflict with the Royal Navy. Outcasts clash with the Elite. And through it all, revenge lurks just around the corner. However, in the shadows of redemption and rescue, an unspoken evil loiters in the distance and soon, it'll be the talk of the world.
1. Prologue

**A/N: I do not own any characters, plot lines, or any other details that are a part of this narrative -that all belongs to the childhood castle of Disney and the creators behind the Pirates of the Caribbean series. I only own my character/s and their actions into the story. Thank you!**

**THE LEGACY OF A PIRATE**

_CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL_

_Prologue_

'_New Beginnings Should Start With Life Threatening Situations'_

**Atlantic Ocean**

**Crossing From England**

**1720**

** The** unexpected fog blanketing the Atlantic was dense. More so then what the _HMS Dauntless_ frequented. The Lieutenant and his crew were on a simple mission; transport the new Governor from England to Jamaica, Port Royal. The trip was all going according to plan, except, of course, the fog.

Curiosity had sparked the Governor's daughter who traveled with. To assuage the feeling, she stood at the bow of the ship and gazed out onto the sea, not seeing as far as she would have liked.

The water reminded young Elizabeth of her late mother and the stories she would tell. Stories of adventures and daring pirates in search of gold. A pirate song her mother used to sing to her before bed crept into the back of her mind.

Her singing caught the attention of the most superstitious crew member of the ship. The boatswain, unable to stop himself from what some would call his 'irrational' thinking, grabbed her shoulders. Such actions spooked the girl and causing her to jump and stare at him in shock.

"Quiet, missy!" He spoke in a breathy voice as he gazed upon the sea, as if searching for unwelcome visitors. "Cursed pirates sail these waters. You don't want t' bring them down on us now, do ya?" The man with prominent mutton chops made eye contact with the young lady. He wasn't like the rest of the Naval officers, more rugged and disorganized, even the way he spoke and dressed was odd.

"Mister Gibbs, that will do."

Elizabeth was saved by no other than the Lieutenant in charge, James Norrington. A young man with his dark chocolate hair tied into a low ponytail under his tricorn Naval hat. He wore the usual cut and clean attire and spoke with formality. His voice was calm, but stern; reminding Elizabeth of her old hag of a tutor back in England.

'_Maybe there will be a nicer one in Port Royal; prettier too_,' Elizabeth thought.

Norrington had an aura around him -as her mother would have called it- that demanded respect. In a way, it reminded Elizabeth of her father, who, as she now noticed, stood behind the Lieutenant.

"She was singing 'bout pirates!" Gibbs accused, pointing the finger at the girl as he stepped closer to the Lieutenant. His voice becoming one of suspicions. "S'bad luck t' be singing 'bout pirates with us _mired_ in this unnatural fog. Mark my words."

"Consider them marked. On your way."

Elizabeth almost smirked at the face Norrington pulled. It would seem that this wasn't the first time he's heard Gibbs' talks of superstitions.

"Aye, Lieutenant." He walked past the Lieutenant and spoke to himself, though loud enough for the Lieutenant to hear. He took a sip from his trusty flask. "S'bad luck to have a woman on board too. Even a miniature one."

"I think it'd be rather exciting to meet a pirate," The young girl spoke up, causing the Lieutenant to give a polite smile to the girl.

"Think again, Miss Swann," He stated as he strolled to the girl's side by the railing. "Vile and dissolute creatures, the lot of them. I intend to see to it that any man who sails under a pirate flag or wears a pirate brand gets what he deserves." He glanced at the girl with a lazy smile as he concluded. "A short drop and a sudden stop."

Miss Swann -too young to know what the phrase meant- looked towards the nearby Gibbs for help. He grabbed his necktie and used it as a mock noose and stuck his tongue out to represent the phrase meant a hanging. Realization spread in her eyes, and she gasped in response.

'_Norrington must not be good with children,'_ Elizabeth thought. As did, apparently, her father.

"Lieutenant Norrington," the Governor called as he intervened between the two, "I appreciate your fervor, but I'm. . . I'm concerned about the effect this subject will have upon my daughter."

"My apologies, Governor Swann." The Lieutenant faltered as he walked away.

_Definitely not good with children._

The girl was glaring at the man before turning towards her father.

"Actually, I find it all fascinating." She announced with glee.

"Yes. That's what concerns me." Her father admitted monotonously before walking off.

Disappointed, she turned back to the water to see an upside parasol floating pass. Enchanted by the random object, she followed it down the ship's side. When it passed, she looked back ahead to find a large piece of driftwood sustaining the unmoving body of a young boy. A boy a year or two older than her twelve-year-old self, she believed.

"Look! A boy! There's a boy in the water!" She exclaimed in the direction of the Lieutenant, her father, and Mr. Gibbs huddled at.

Immediately the Lieutenant dashed to the side of the ship to confirm the girl's statement.

"Man overboard!" He yelled to his now lively crew, "Man the ropes! Fetch a hook! Haul him aboard!" When the crew brought the boy on deck, the Lieutenant checked his breathing; to which he was. Gibbs was still leaning off the edge of the ship, using Jacob's ladder ropes to support himself from falling.

"Mary, Mother of God!" He declared in disbelief. He had captured the attention of Miss Swann as well as everyone apart of the crew. They looked over the water to find that the fog was gradually whisked away. A broken, burning ship, doomed to sink down Davy Jones' locker revealed.

"What happened here?" The Governor questioned, though none knew.

Norrington supplied a most logical answer.

"It's most likely the powder magazine. Merchant vessels run heavily armed."

The burning ship's mast collapsed into the water.

Gibbs scuffed in response. "Lot of good it did them. Everyone's thinkin' it, I'm just sayin' it; pirates. Maybe even the most vicious pirate in all the seven seas; _Cap'n Cutthroat_."

"There's no proof of that! It is probably an accident." The Governor stammered with a broken laugh. He hoped it wasn't this 'Captain Cutthroat.' He wasn't one for bedtime stories like his daughter, but the man was no fool. Stories of Cutthroat attacking Naval ships were common amongst Naval men. And they were on one.

Norrington ordered some men to rouse the _Dauntless_' captain from his slumber. Others to heave and take sail and launch the small boats to find other survivors.

But, by the off chance of the attacker being Cutthroat, they're likely be no other living souls.

The Governor leaned down to his daughter's ear where she stood overlooking the strange boy. Crewmates were beginning to start their tasks, and he didn't want her in their way. "Elizabeth, I want you to accompany the boy. He'll be in your charge. Take care of him." She nodded in acknowledgment and walked to where the unconscious boy lied.

She ran her hand through the boy's hair covering his eyes, waking the boy as he gasped. His cold hand grabbed onto her wind-chilled ones.

"It's okay." She reassured after catching her breath from the small scare. "My name's Elizabeth Swann."

"W-Will Turner." He breathed out.

"I'm watching over you, Will."

Just then Will passed out. Either from shock or exhaustion, Elizabeth didn't know. Curiosity sparked in her once more, and she began to investigate the boy and saw the chain around his neck. Picking up the necklace, she studied it as the chain detached. The coin was gold with an engraved skull surrounded by arbitrary symbols. "You're a pirate!" She spoke in a whisper.

"Has he said anything?" Asked Norrington from behind. Elizabeth gasped in surprise but remembered what would happen to a pirate. This Will Turner was just a boy; he shouldn't hang because he was a pirate. Elizabeth hid the medallion behind her back. She made sure to pose as the proper lady when addressing the Lieutenant.

"His name's William Turner. That's all I found out."

With a nod, he turned towards two Naval officers behind him and gave an order to have the boy taken below deck. Now with the boy gone, Elizabeth found herself at the stern of the ship. After making sure she was in fact alone, she looked at the coin once more, raising it up a bit.

A large shadow in the water grabbed her attention. She focused on it, only to find a ship sailing unnaturally fast. She noticed many rips on the black sails. The recognizable Jolly Roger flag flying high through the winds.

_Pirates_, Elizabeth deduced.

Luckily, these pirates sailed under a different flag than Cutthroat's. Countless times with reading about pirates back in England, she had learned a thing or two. That pirate Captain sailed under a red flag with a white skull above a horizontal cutlass.

Elizabeth released a breath of relief as she remembered the Naval saying,

'_As Cutthroat raises his flag, he shows you your fate.'_

Elizabeth subconsciously rubbed her throat as fear laced itself inside her and she closed her eyes.

**A/N: Alright, everybody! This is my first ever fanfiction and criticisms are always welcomed! Be nick picky, I want to know what I might have spelled, structed, or worded incorrectly/confusingly so I can correct it! Suggestions? Write 'em up!**


	2. Chapter 1

**A/N: I do not own any characters, plot lines, or any other details that are a part of this narrative -that all belongs to the childhood castle of Disney and the creators behind the Pirates of the Caribbean series. I only own my character/s and their actions into the story. Thank you!**

* * *

**THE LEGACY OF A PIRATE**

_CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL_

_Chapter 1 _

'_The Fine Art of Bullshit'_

**Port Royal Harbor, Jamaica**

**Off The Coast Of The North Docks**

**1728**

** Ashlyn** Hancock woke from her peaceful slumber with a jolt as saltwater was thrown at her face. She leaned over the edge of the small fishing boat and hacked up all the water. Afterward, she glared up at the one responsible for her demise. Wincing as the sun's beam of light clashed with her uncommon hangover.

The woman stood, only able to keep her balance from the sudden rock of the boat with Jack's shoulder. She pulled away from him right as she steadied herself. He rolled his eyes and watched as she examined her now drenched attire.

Ashlyn took off her coat and attempted to wring out the water. Jack peeped at the exposed corset, a lewd smirk spreading across his face. He didn't even try to hide it. The ascending trail his eyes ventured was interrupted by Ashlyn clearing her throat; a death glare imminent on her face. Jack smiled innocently.

"You make loud noises when you sleep. Bugging me, it was." Jack said, dropping the now-empty bucket by his side. Ashlyn put her coat back on with a grimace.

"Blimey, Jacky. I'm soaking wet!"

Jack grinned. "I'll take that as a compliment, luv." He wiggled his brows in jest.

Ashlyn responded by shoving his shoulder while approaching the bow of the boat. The oncoming dock, unfamiliar to Ashlyn's eye, was growing as they sailed closer. She watched teams of men load their ship with essentials for an apparent long journey. Such resources, Ashlyn knew, the two pirates may need for their ongoing mission.

The irksome noise of the boat's base hitting a reef filled Ashlyn's ears. She steadied herself from the rock. Hancock cursed as the water began to fill.

Turning to address Jack, she paused as the man in question was absent from her view. A whistle raised her attention up the short mast to see Jack standing beside the small crow's nest.

Recently, the wind had begun to pick up. Jack's attire and dreadlocks blowing -his hat, untouched to the harsh wind.

"Get your arse down here, we hit a reef and the boat's filling smartly," Ashlyn ordered. No time to waste on a sinking vessel. Jack slid down a rope and made a small splash as he landed. He grabbed the bucket and began excavating the water out. Quite a pointless task, though it didn't hurt to try.

Ashlyn looked for another bucket but was unable to find one. She grabbed the next best thing and mimicked Jack's actions.

Sparrow froze at the sight of his hat dumping out water.

"_My hat!_" He exclaimed in protest.

Ashlyn turned to him. His voice reminded her of the time an upper-class gent witnessed her drunkenly stab a cheater over a game of Blackjack in Nassau. A fun story to tell another time, surely.

"_My hat,_" Ashlyn mocked in a deep voice as she continued dumping water out. "No sorrows, friend," She shook the tricorn hat in a weak attempt to rid the remnants of water before plopping it back on his head crookedly. "Even now, we are."

"It's always the hat with you," Jack grumbled as he fixed the hat into its correct position. Ashlyn stuck her tongue out at him for his juvenile behavior.

"Looks better on me anyway." She said.

"Aye, it does. S'pecially when it's the only thing-"

"You know what I would like?" Ashlyn interrupted before he could smugly retort. "For you to shut up."

Jack scrunched his nose and mouthed Ashlyn's words. There he saw three skeletons hanging from the rocks. A sign hanging on the end rope read;

**PIRATES**

**YE BE**

**WARNED**

Jack stopped what he was doing, casting the bucket aside. He reached for his hat and held it over his chest. Ashlyn glanced up at Sparrow and saw the skeletons herself. She stood up and presented a salute toward the dead alongside Jack.

The two deemed it useless to try and save the sinking boat as the water was building past their ankles. Jack gazed at the dock and nodded.

"We'll make it." He declared in confidence.

Ashlyn tilted her head in doubt. She was not as confident in the _Jolly Mon_. Then again, Jack always had a way of making it. He was a good luck charm, but also bad luck -it's all very complicated.

He grabbed Ashlyn and tugged her up the single mast. Jack stood with pride while Ashlyn leaned against the poor excuse of a crows nest. She watched what was being hauled aboard a ship that they were passing. The working men paused with what they were doing. They stared at the once in a lifetime scene of the two obvious pirates upon a sinking boat.

When reaching the dock, the small vessel had sunk enough for the two to effortlessly walk off. Ashlyn gave a well-surprised sound of amusement to Jack. He proudly smirked as the two walked in sync passed the dockmaster and his boy slave.

Ashlyn discreetly handed the lad a shilling when she walked past. She always had a soft spot for kids, especially the more unfortunate ones, though she never necessarily _liked_ the little rascals. Back in Shipwreck Cove, the kids were all pocket thieves, and quite good.

The boy looked at her in surprise. He gave a lopsided smile when she winked at him and the universal sign to keep it quiet.

"What- I- Hold up there, you two!" The dockmaster yelled. Ashlyn gave a pat on Jack's shoulder in luck before continuing down the dock. Jack left to deal with the man.

Unfortunately for her, Ashlyn didn't notice Jack's sly hands untying her small pouch of gold by her hip. She did realize, on the other hand, the land legs she was experiencing. Hancock gave a huff in annoyance at her imbalance.

"It's a shilling to tie up your boat to the dock," she overheard the pale man say to Jack. A quick glance to the remnants of the boat caused her to laugh; only the flag was seen above water.

Ashlyn headed into town with a mindset to finding potential materials. They just needed to last until they reached the nightmare that is Tortuga. Walking down the shoppes, Ashlyn noticed the few numbers of Officers patrolling the streets. Ashlyn patted her shilling pouch, but she felt nothing but air at her side.

"_That jarring common-kissing muckworm,_" Ashlyn insulted in a whisper. She realized Jack must have stolen her shillings. Him or the small brat.

Initially, she was going to play by the rules, but with no money and practically no guards around, this resulted in a more skilled criminal. Luckily, she was so.

The markets weren't necessarily crowded, but they sure weren't empty. This gave Ashlyn good enough coverage to steal without gaining the shopkeepers' eyes.

As she passed a few displays of freshly baked bread, she grabbed a loaf or two. Stuffing them into her inner jacket pockets. Doing the same for each food market she went through.

As she walked, she noticed a donkey tied up outside a building. It had pricked its head up when she stepped near. Ashlyn patted the animal on its head and walked off. Until she heard the loud whining from the creature. People began to turn their heads as the donkey only whined louder. She briskly traveled back to the donkey and sacrificed a stolen apple to give to the animal.

"Now, no more whining. You're going to get me in trouble," Ashlyn told the donkey as it ate the apple right from her hand, covering it in slobber. Ashlyn groaned as she pulled away from the donkey. She wiped her mucus-covered hand on her jacket. "You're lucky you're cute," Ashlyn warned and walked away. She was relieved that the animal wasn't whining anymore.

The rumble of drums and the loud trumpets grabbed Ashlyn's attention as she walked. She figured that whatever event happening up at the Fort hosted the Naval Officers there. A place deemed she would most likely _not _want to be in. So preoccupied with her thoughts, Ashlyn walked straight into someone.

"Oh, my apologies, Sir- _I mean Miss? My Lady? Ma'am?_" Said the reddening young man she had shoulder bumped into as he picked up the lengthy box he had dropped.

"Ma'am? I don't think I'm that old. My Lady? Certainly not. I guess you're just gonna stick with Miss, my dear." Ashlyn mocked with a bow and got a good look of the lad. Long brown hair tied into a low tail. An attractive face that looks oddly familiar to her. She was usually good with faces, but his stubble goatee seemed to blur her memory. His clothes: brown jacket, vest, and a clean white undershirt, gave away his lower status. The long box he held quite possibly being the most expensive thing he carried on his person.

The lad gave a respectful laugh at her jest. "Yes, uh, again my apologies Miss. You don't look a day over thirty. Uh, I mean, unless-"

"Nonsense boy, I'll be that in a few years." She placed a hand over his shoulder and turned herself to get a good look at the Fort. Such an open display of contact from a stranger made the man slightly uncomfortable. He didn't dare argue, however. "Now, if I may, what event is currently happening up at Fort what's-it-named?" She pointed at said Fort's direction. "Me and my friend only just arrived here, you see."

"Happy to help. Fort Charles is hosting the promotion of Mister Norrington," The boy finished and looked at the woman. He raised a brow at her frozen baffled expression. "Is there something the matter?"

Ashlyn shook her head and released him from her grasp, acting back to her façade. "Norrington, you say?"

"Indeed, James Norrington."

"James," Ashlyn tested on her tongue as she smiled, a glint in her eyes. "Anyhow, thank you, good sir. I'll let you be on your way now."

"You're welcome. And please, it's Will Turner, but you can call me Will, Miss-" He stuck out his hand to take hers.

"Ashlyn. Just Ashlyn." She shook his hand firmly -all in which he found quite odd: the handshake, callouses, and no last name.

The broad smile on her tanned face looked as if she heard the dumbest joke in the world though was forced to laugh at it. Will bid his goodbyes and went on his way. Ashlyn, on the other hand, stood in her place as she ruffled her hair in disbelief.

"_A bloody Norrington_." She whispered to herself, the disbelieved smile still painted on her face. "Here in Port Royal all this time. What luck."

She realized that she had to go find Jack. Tell the man of her recent findings, never mind the resources. Now was a time to hit two birds with one stone, or in this case, a shot.

As predicted, Ashlyn found her old friend on a ship. Though he wasn't getting ready to set sail with this Naval vessel, merely conversing with, not one, but two Royal Navy Officers.

"What's going on?" Ashlyn asked vehemently as she walked up to the ship's ramp with a frown on her face and her sword drawn. Immediately the two Officers raised their rifles; one at her and the other on Jack just in case.

"Drop the sword, pretty lady. We wouldn't want to shoot you." Said the black-haired Officer as his gun pointed to her. Ashlyn waved her cutlass high as she glared at the Officers unafraid.

"Who's she?" Asked the brunet, his gun trained on Jack as the man slowly moved beside his fellow pirate.

"This is Ashlyn Smith. My wife, if you may."

Ashlyn gave him a look as he lowered her sword. Jack's eyes practically begging her to trust him. In the end, she reluctantly did so and sheathed her weapon.

"She here to help you commandeer a ship, pick up a crew in Tortuga, raid, pillage, plunder, and otherwise pilfer your weasley black guts out?"

The two pirates and the black-haired man turned to the shorter Officer in confusion toward what he said. Ashlyn turned her glare toward Jack, apparent dislike to his way of talking himself out of situations.

"But that was a lie." The other Officer stated.

Ashlyn raised a brow and gave Jack a second glance.

He gave a weak smile in return.

"No, that was the truth," the brunet defended.

"But he said that what he said was said in order to confuse us into thinking what he said was a lie, but it was, in fact, the truth."

"Or a lie," Ashlyn spoke up, having found amusement in their confusion and wanted to confuse them more so. She always appreciated Jack's skills in talking his way out of trouble, though it was a bore.

He gave the Officers a reassuring smile.

"Exactly. A lie," the Officer pointed out as he lowered his gun, the other following soon after.

"Now, I'm confused. Was it a lie or not?" The taller one looked toward Jack for an answer.

"How about letting my wife join to tell some of our own stories. Better than just mine, I swear," Jack changed the subject, ignoring Ashlyn's discreet jab to his side.

The two dimwitted, though entertaining, Officers nodded in unison.

Jack gave Ashlyn an encouraging nod at her silent pleading to get out of the state of affairs.

"Before I begin," Ashlyn spoke, bored with the outcome. She took a step closer toward the two in an attempt to test her boundaries, "what are your names?"

"Murtogg," said the brunet. "And this is Mullroy."

He pointed at the taller, who gave a bashful smile and wave to the woman. She returned one hesitantly.

"I think I know just the story," Ashlyn stated with a lack-luster smile.

* * *

**A/N: Hey everyone! Just wanted to inform everyone that I will be updating two chapters every Wednesday. Hopefully they'll be uploaded close to 6:00pm New York time, if not, I'm busy, but I'll get them in on Wednesdays!**


	3. Chapter 2

**A/N: I do not own any characters, plot lines, or any other details that are a part of this narrative -that all belongs to the childhood castle of Disney and the creators behind the Pirates of the Caribbean series. I only own my character/s and their actions into the story. Thank you!**

* * *

**THE LEGACY OF A PIRATE**

_CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL_

_Chapter 2_

'_Rules Are Not Meant To Be Broken'_

**Port Royal, Jamaica**

**Docks Of The **_**Interceptor**_

**1728**

** The** two pirates were in the midst of telling some made-up adventure of an island filled with cannibals. The story was created as Jack and Ashlyn bounced off one another with lie after lie with remarkable ease. Though the tale was false, it certainly entertained the two Navy Officers.

"And then they made me their chief," Jack continued. Ashlyn went to carry on with this deception when they were interrupted by a harsh-sounding splash to their right and a yell further away.

"Was that a bloody person?" Ashlyn asked as the four walked toward the railing for a better look.

"Will you be saving her then?" Jack leaned toward Mullroy.

"I can't swim!" He responded.

Jack turned to Murtogg only to receive a shake of his head.

The two pirates gave the other an unenthusiastic look, knowing exactly what's going on in each other's heads. Before Jack could do anything, Ashlyn pointed at him accusingly.

"I distracted Anamaria for you." She defended.

"Ah, but I took care of the dockmaster!"

"With the coin that you stole from me!"

Jack rolled his eyes and huffed in defeat. He handed Mullroy his hat with a grumble.

"Proud of the King's Navy, you are," Jack remarked to the Officers. He passed the rest of his effects to them and immediately dove into the water.

In the meantime, Murtogg, with hands now forced to carry Jack's sword, sheath, and pistol, dropped his own rifle. Said weapon went off -having forgotten to disengage it when previously threatening the pirates.

The bullet hit Ashlyn's left thigh. A graze, but just deep enough to really draw some blood.

She tripped over her leg in surprise of the sudden pain but caught herself before she could fall. Dazed if the action had really happened or not, she patted the new wound and hissed as it stung. Confirming its reality.

"_You shot me!" _She yelled and pointed at Murtogg with her bloodied hand.

"_You shot her!"_

"_I shot you!_ I'm _so_ sorry!"

"Apology _not_ accepted!" Ashlyn stated with a huff. She removed her sash from her waist and tied it around her leg tightly, groaning in pain. "Ever held a gun or are all bilge rat Navy men trigger happy?"

Murtogg repeatedly gave his apologizes; something that started to annoy the pained woman. With Jack not there to subtlety cover up her dislike to the Officers, her filtered façade disappeared the second she was shot.

The wind suddenly picked up.

The Officers grabbed onto their hats and gave one another glances due to the strange circumstances. Ashlyn raised a brow at the winds too. All the years she's been alive, never once has she seen such harsh winds appear from nowhere. Their attention was brought back to the situation at hand when they heard Jack gasp for air close by.

The three rushed off the _Interceptor _and onto the dock where Jack emerged with the unconscious woman on his shoulder. Ashlyn did her best to hurry as she limped with the adrenaline was still pumping. She sat on a protruding log, wanting to get her weight off the wounded leg.

"Yeah, you do that," she muttered to herself. The two Officers helped Jack place the woman down.

"Not breathing!" Mullroy noted.

"It's the bloody corset, you idiots," Ashlyn pointed out. She got a good look over the blonde who wore her underclothes openly; a sight quite rare amongst civilized folk.

Jack wordlessly squeezed himself between the Officers and pulled out a knife, cutting the corset laces. Immediately the blonde woman heaved up the water from her lungs and began to breathe correctly. Jack handed the corset to Murtogg. He clumsily took it in his hands.

"Oh, London made," Ashlyn observed the clothing. "Very pretty, although these corsets are more restrictive with breathing than the others." She turned her attention toward the confused and somewhat scared woman. Who, by now, realized she's surrounded by strangers. "I suggest you don't wear this again, blondie."

"Never would have thought of that," Mullroy spoke up.

"Clearly you've never been to Singapore," Jack said as he gave a look toward the Officer and scanned the very much breathing woman. The necklace she wore caught Jack's eye as he grabbed it and showed it to a curious Ashlyn.

"A pirate medallion," Ashlyn confirmed. "What's its significance?"

"Where did you get this?" Jack asked the scared blonde, ignoring Hancock's question.

Before she could answer, a group of Naval Officers had caught up to the five. Ashlyn tensed her jaw at the group. _Even more Navy dogs._

The man in front pulled out his sword at Jack.

"On your feet," he commanded.

Murtogg and Mullroy stood up as Jack looked up at the sword's owner before doing what was said. His hands raised in surrender. An older man helped the woman out, now identified as Elizabeth, and covered her with his jacket.

The blue coat with the fancy tricorn hat saw Ashlyn sitting behind the three. He pointed his sword at her and quickly studied the woman. Her back was poised straight, though didn't seem uncomfortable to hold the position. As if she was trained to sit properly in her youth. The woman was leaning toward her left side, her hands cradled over a white sash. Blood could be seen under her hands. Her face was pained but she fought through to appear fine.

"Before you say 'on your feet' to me, I'll have you know I've been shot in the leg. Not very wise to put pressure on it, I can assure you," Ashlyn said to the handsome one in blue.

Her comment gained the attention of Jack as he disapprovingly looked at what he could of the wound. This being the first he noticed its existence. She accusingly pointed at Murtogg. Jack turned toward the man displeased.

"I said sorry!" Murtogg justified himself to Jack, though he was unfazed by his words.

"And yet she's still wounded," Jack said as he took a step closer to Mullroy and away from Murtogg.

"I-"

"Enough." The blue coat told the Officer. He turned to Ashlyn. "Do yourself a favor and disarm yourself. We wouldn't want you to be _actually_ shot now, do we?"

The old man glanced at the Officer as he still held onto Elizabeth's corset. Murtogg dropped the clothing item and pointed at Jack, causing the man to give the pirate a glare. Ashlyn, in the meantime, handed over her cutlass, pistol, and the few daggers on her person to Murtogg.

"Shoot them." Commanded the old man, his feathered hat and grey curly wig showed his proper authority to order such actions. Surely an ambitious man.

"Father!" Elizabeth interrupted before addressing the blue coat. "Commodore. Do you really intend to kill my rescuer?"

Ashlyn perked up at the mention of the man's title. She distinctly remembered the young lad's words from earlier. The Commodore hesitated before sheathing his sword. His men followed suit. Jack gave a gesture of gratitude towards Elizabeth.

"I believe thanks are in order," Commodore Norrington stated as he raised his hand out for Jack to take. The pirate looked at it suspiciously before reaching out and shaking it. Norrington promptly pulled his arm and raised Jack's sleeve to reveal the 'P' brand. The Commodore glanced at Ashlyn before returning his eyes on Jack.

"Had a brush with the East India Trading Company did we, pirate?"

Jack closed his eye lids tightly at his stupidity.

"I assume you have one as well, dressed like that," Commodore addressed the sitting woman behind Jack. Everyone seemed to direct their attention to her -save for Jack. He seemed confident in Ashlyn's ability to lie out of this circumstance. Their 'kidnapped' planned worked a majority of the time throughout the years.

"Aye, I do," Ashlyn stated with a smile, her feet beginning to swing as they just barely reached the deck. Jack turned and looked at her with a bewildered face. Everyone else's doing the same at her bluntness and evident enthusiasm.

Ashlyn paid no mind to Jack as she gazed into the Commodore's eyes. Such actions seemed to unnerve the man, though his pride refused to look away.

"Hang them." Elizabeth's father spoke up, and Jack glanced at him.

"Keep the guns on them, men. Gillette! Fetch a pair of irons." The Commodore ordered the many red and blue coats behind him.

"If I may interject," Ashlyn spoke. The Commodore's face showing his surprise at the pirate's manners. "I've always dreamt of meeting a certain Norrington of the Royal Navy. Unfortunately, that man is not you, so I ask, _who_ exactly are _you?_" She pointed at the obvious superior Officer.

The Commodore raised a curious brow as Jack studied the man's face with renewed interest.

"James Norrington. Son of the late _Admiral_ Lawrence Norrington, if that is who you speak of," the Commodore replied.

"_A Norrington_," Jack repeated with slight shock. "Not exactly what I envisioned, to be honest. Expected you to be a bit more ugly," Jack stated with a mocking smile and received a confused side glare from the man. "Are you sure he's a Norrington?" The pirate turned his head toward Ashlyn with a doubtful expression.

The man in question moved his attention away from Ashlyn, though not without a second glance toward her, before heeding Jack.

"I am. But now that you have my name, what exactly is yours?" Norrington rhetorically asked Jack. He raised Jack's sleeve higher to reveal the sparrow tattoo. The answer to his question.

"Well, well. Jack Sparrow isn't it?" Norrington smirked as he dropped Jack's arm.

"Captain Jack Sparrow, if you please, sir," He corrected. Norrington looked out onto the water in jest, a smug expression painted on.

"Well, I don't see your ship, _Captain_."

"I'm in the market. As it were." Jack sarcastically smiled back.

"He said they come to commandeer one," Murtogg spoke up.

"Told you he was telling the truth. These are his, sir!" Mullroy commented to his fellow Officer before directing himself to Commodore Norrington. Mullroy picked up Jack's belongings and held it up to the superior Officer. Jack instinctively reached for his pistol as Norrington grabbed said weapon and inspected it in both hands.

"No additional shot nor powder." Norrington moved on to Jack's compass and watched as it spun pathetically around. "A compass that doesn't point North." He closed the compass with a smile and a chuckle. Something which made Ashlyn inadvertently lift the corner of her mouth.

Norrington spared a glance at her before unsheathing Jack's sword a bit and gave it a once over.

"And I half expected it to be made out of wood."

Norrington shoved the sword forcefully into the sheath. "You are without a doubt, the _worst _pirate I've ever heard of," the Commodore concluded.

Jack raised his hands in a 'one moment' gesture and dropped them before he spoke with a smirk.

"But you have heard of me."

Norrington's smugness vanished. He walked past Jack, making sure to shove his shoulder in the meantime, as he stood before Ashlyn's sitting form.

The female pirate gladly held out her right arm for the medal-wearing newly promoted Commodore to take.

The two stared into one another's eyes as a silent competition began between them. The slight rough feel of Norrington's warm hands raised goosebumps on Ashlyn. Though she didn't know why.

It was a common feature for a high-class Commodore to have. They let their men do all the work, a snobbish characteristic Ashlyn despised. She reasoned the goosebumps was from such difference in body temperature. She was out on a boat the entire day.

He raised her sleeve.

Ashlyn glanced down at her arm before peering her eyes back up at Norrington. A sort of allowance for him to look, having backed down from their contest. Norrington's frown dropped when he recognized the family crest tattoo, right above her own pirate brand.

The crest of a sea serpent wrapped around a cutlass, a crown hovering above the snake's head. Norrington had encountered several women pirates who bare the tattoo, in hopes of recognition. But this claimed true to its wearer.

Only the rich would be able to have color and such intricate designs on their mark. And the serpent? Well, the monster's pattern was old Celtic-Norse and red.

"Ashlyn Hancock," he stated stoically, eyes once again meeting hers as he gave an incredulous look. She didn't let his disbelief go against the man. It wasn't every day a Royal Navy Commodore was so close to an infamous enemy of the Crown.

Elizabeth's father gave a small gasp, "_Dear God._"

Jack smirked at the man holding his daughter, who seemed more intrigued than afraid.

Sparrow stepped closer to Murtogg. He quietly recited that he had shot a Hancock -an emphasis on her family name- and mocked a fearful expression to the man. Murtogg opened and closed his mouth repeatedly and sighed defeatedly when unable to come up with a response.

"Royalty at its finest," Norrington quipped. He looked directly at the patches of built-up dirt smudges along her face, the knotted and greasy blonde hair that was shades darker than what was healthy, and the entirety of her tanned face covered with sunburn. Exactly the opposite of what real royalty would look like.

His words made her frown.

"I'm no royalty."

"That is something we _both_," he dropped her arm as if she were some peasant, "can agree on."

"Last I heard of the remaining Hancock, she was dead," Elizabeth spoke up to the woman. Her father instantly chastised her for it.

"You listen to every rumor you here?" Ashlyn replied with a shrug.

"Will I be expecting to dance the hempen jig?" She asked the Commodore even if she knew the answer already.

"There is no doubt about it, Miss Hancock. You _will_ hang," Norrington declared.

A quick glance at Elizabeth caused Jack to raise a brow as she seemed to be the only one disappointed at the woman's fate. An odd reaction to have when a Hancock was set to hang until dead in their own hometown.

Distracted by his thoughts, Jack was pulled back into reality as Norrington roughly grabbed onto his arm and dragged him. Norrington gave orders to Murtogg and Mullroy to keep watch over the sitting pirate.

Elizabeth discarded the jacket over her as she rushed behind the two.

"Commodore, I really must protest," she stated.

"Carefully, Lieutenant," Norrington warned Gillette while the man locked the irons onto Jack's wrists.

As Elizabeth gave her objections to Norrington's commands, Ashlyn studied the blonde's father and the exhausted, yet desperate expression he wore as he picked up his fallen coat.

"Rebellious children," Ashlyn stated whimsically. "Causing such a hassle."

Elizabeth's father turned toward the pirate instinctively.

"You've no idea," He said without a second thought before realizing his mistake. "I shouldn't be speaking to a pirate," he spoke out loud, though most definitely was aimed at himself.

"And yet here we are, traversing with one another through our mutual dialect in a peaceful manner. I'd say we're not that different after all," Ashlyn replied while leaning forward. She made sure to raise her leg slightly off her weight.

"I must say, you don't speak like other pirates," he complimented as he began to follow his daughter and the Commodore.

"I was lucky enough to be tutored by the best at a young age."

She received an impressed, yet surprised glance from the older gentleman before he turned fully around and walked forward to follow his complaining daughter.

Hancock could remember all the tutors her grandfather hired -more like kidnapped- for her. They never did last for too long.

Attempted escape; killed. Refusion to tutor; killed. Got on Lionheart's nerves; killed. Anything that was remotely not good led them to their deaths. Except for one, a middle-aged Irish bloke named Jonathan Swift. He was taken from his home in Dublin to tutor a young Ashlyn and when he successfully did, he was returned home safe and sound years later. He taught the girl to read and write. In the meantime, implement his satirical writing style into the personality of Ashlyn; much to her grandfather's dismay.

Of course, that was only her literature tutor.

The feminine gasp from down the dock caught Ashlyn's attention. She stood in an attempt to view the event that was happening but was ultimately blocked by the many Officers who were in position to fire. Luckily, Elizabeth's father gave an order not to shoot. Ashlyn presumed Jack was using Elizabeth to escape.

"Commodore Norrington! My effects, please." Jack asked politely, "and my hat." He added.

"_Commodore_!" Jack yelled when the man hesitated.

The Naval commander turned towards the group of his men and gave the nod towards Mullroy. The Officer jogged down the dock and passed the items to his superior's hands.

Ashlyn was just able to hear the conversation going on between Jack and Elizabeth Swann while the latter equipped Jack's weapons and his hat.

"And one more thing, Commodore. My friend back there, if you may," Jack ordered. She could practically see the annoyed look Norrington was making at the demands. Fortunately for the Commodore, she spoke up before he could.

"No need, Jacky. You have to trust me on this."

"Why would you want to _stay?!" _Jack let out a breath of a laugh, not trusting the woman. Upon seeing the confused faces, he attempted to disguise his frustrations with a smile.

"_Trust_ me," Ashlyn stiffly responded back.

"_If you insist!_ Gentleman. M'Lady. You will always remember this as the day you almost caught _Captain. Jack. Sparrow_!" Jack voiced before pushing Elizabeth into Norrington and her father.

Ashlyn laughed as she saw Jack rise into the air, with help from a loosened rope on a pulley. A cannon fell onto the edge of the deck -taking a few soldiers down into the water in the meantime. Jack spun around on the rope and gave a fearful yell as the soldiers began to shoot. Each bullet never hit the moving target that is Jack. Somehow, he was able to land on another nearby towering pole and swung down its rope with his chains.

On Norrington's orders, the men rushed after Jack as he was able to run into the town; the Officers following. Norrington looked back to where Ashlyn sat, Murtogg having stayed in his spot as ordered. He walked around the broken dock carefully and dismissed the standing Officer. He grabbed her effects, ordering Mullroy to join the others in the search. The Commodore walked up to Ashlyn and held out his hand.

"I assume you won't be attempting to escape."

Ashlyn spat into Norrington's helping hand.

The man only gave a low chuckle as he grasped her arm and pulled her up and forced her to walk ahead of him. The apprehended pirate was quite impressed with his actions. He didn't even wipe the salvia off in disgust as if he was above the motion. Once over the dock they saw Lieutenant Gillette ahead approaching.

The Lieutenant locked the irons on her wrists. Gillette smirked as he heard Ashlyn's faint wince at the tightened cuffs.

"Gillette, Mister Sparrow has a dawn appointment with the gallows alongside Miss Hancock. I would hate for him to miss it." Norrington ordered the Lieutenant as the man walked off with a nod.

The Commodore waited until his Lieutenant was out of eye's view before unlocking her cuffs and readjusting them. Now they were at a comfortable size which allowed her wrists to breath. The pink rings on her wrists were sure to disappear in an hour's time.

The two began walking toward Fort Charles, Ashlyn forced to be ahead once more.

"While I do appreciate your actions, Jamey, I must ask, why?"

"It's Commodore to you, _pirate_."

"I'll take that as a _'because you're so beautiful,'_ she deepened her voice to terribly imitate the man. He rolled his eyes in response, though she was unable to see the small humored lift in his lips. "I'll tell ya, most Navy-bastards that see that happen would leave it alone, say it's what I deserve, but you? You adjust them. That must make you some gentlemanly-Navy-bastard, am I right?"

Norrington stumbled in his spot as she stopped walking and turned. A brow raised in query when he didn't answer her.

"I suppose I like to think of myself as a man of gentle nature. Why?"

Ashlyn turned back and continued the route to the jails satisfied with his answer.

"Just wanted to warn you, Jamey-"

"_Commodore."_

"_Jamey_." Norrington sighed. "That nice guys tend to finish last."

The silence between the pirate and Naval Officer was oddly comfortable. It was when they entered the Fort that Ashlyn grew uneased. Center of the Fort was the hanging platform, large enough to hang two pirates at once and just high enough to give everyone a decent view.

Ashlyn's eyes followed the noose as they walked past.

Norrington watched where her eyes were and decided he needed to distract the woman from thoughts of her own death. He cleared his throat and spoke up.

"You killed a friend of Gillette's back in the Academy."

"What?"

"Earlier you asked why Gillette tightened your cuffs. It's because you killed his friend."

"Does this friend have a name?"

"Thomas Runsley."

Ashlyn nodded her head and made a noise of recognition to the name.

"Oh, yes! 'Tom Runs' we called him -died a coward by the way. He was killed personally by me because he murdered my brother. I'm sure your Academy spoke of the news as if God returned."

Norrington remained quiet, confirming Ashlyn's suspicions.

"He was fifteen," she added somberly. "Just some dumb kid."

* * *

**Fort Charles, Port Royal**

**Jail Cells**

* * *

The first cell they encountered had four men inside. Grime and dirt covering them all, and a foul smell that caused Ashlyn to wince. One began to catcall as the Commodore and Ashlyn walked past.

An enemy of the Crown, she was, but still a lady.

Norrington shifted their positions, moving Ashlyn away from the other criminals.

He kicked the cell door and ordered the men to back themselves against the wall, opposite of the door. He then hung her effects on a nearby hook.

"I do hope I haven't vexed you enough to lock me in there with them." Ashlyn retorted as she stood in her positioned place waiting for Norrington's next orders. A frown on her face while watching the disgusting men make faces at her.

The Commodore gave a chuckle. "I'll keep your displeasure in mind for the future if you do."

Ashlyn snorted at the comment.

Norrington whistled and a shaggy grey dog appeared from the shadows obediently.

"Awfully familiar, that dog is," Ashlyn spoke to herself.

The dog held a ring of keys in his mouth and allowed the Commodore to grab the keys.

"Strange is what he is. Randomly showed up in Port Royal out of nowhere. Many residents wanted him shot, but I felt that I could care for him, so I made him. . . key-bearer," James replied with a tilt of his head, trying to find the right words, as he scratched the wagging dog's ears.

Ashlyn's heart practically melted right there and then. Every animal held a soft spot to the pirate and she always made sure to be extra friendly to them all.

"Cute," she commented as she watched Norrington.

"Yes, I suppose he is in a rugged and a dirty way," James said.

When Norrington turned to the newest prisoner once unlocking the cell door, he saw Ashlyn kneeling on the dog's level. She gave him a good scratch below his neck, and he responded with licks upon her cheek.

He waited until she stood once the dog trotted back down the hall to uncuff the irons and ushered Ashlyn into the cell.

Once inside, Ashlyn glanced around the area and looked back at the Naval man with a mischievous smirk. "I think I'd like to see you all rugged and dirty."

James let out a low chuckle. "I can assure you, Miss Hancock, that will never happen."

"Never say never, Jamey. Life tends to bring the worst out of us all."

The jest in Norrington's eyes disappeared altogether. Replaced with pity as he seemed suddenly distracted.

Hancock straightened herself in preparation.

James approached her, she noticed that at full height her eyes reached his chin. She frowned at the reminder of her small stature.

"Being orphaned at such a young age must be difficult to endure. For that, I apologize for my father's actions those many years ago. There is no doubt in my mind that it played a part in turning you pirate to gain revenge."

Ashlyn dropped her mouth at his words.

"_Played a part in turning me pirate,"_ She repeated with a frustrated undertone. "I was born to be a pirate. 'Natus est in mari morietur,'" she recited in perfect Latin.

"'Born to die at sea,'" James responded stoically just as fast.

She flinched at his correct translation, surprised by his knowledge of Latin as well as her family words.

"Then it must be a shame for your death to occur on land."

His words only made her more crossed, in addition to him beginning to leave.

'_It wasn't supposed to end this way,'_ Ashlyn thought. '_Not on land. Not with a simpleton crowd as her audience to her death. And _certainly_ not by the hands of a _Norrington_.'_

"I was wrong," Ashlyn stated defiantly as she slumped down to sit, her back against the bars of the door. "You're like the rest of them."

James turned at the comment.

"Rest of whom?"

Ashlyn smirked before wiping it off her face as she heard James hesitantly walk closer.

"The other Commodores. They all want to hang me for selfish reasons. All involving the Hancock name that I never asked for." Ashlyn looked up to the Commodore. "They want to be known as heroes for killing a family. Gain glory from the King because of my great-grandfather, _like I had a say in his actions!_ And, of course, gold! No one has enough gold these days."

"No one has enough _honor_ these days," James corrected.

He noticed the downhearted expression on her tanned face. Strands of her light gold hair falling over her eyes as she looked down at her intertwined fingers.

A woman deemed to die because of her name; all because of greedy men.

Norrington knew he wasn't like the others. He was honorable and trustworthy. He was fair and kind. He wasn't selfish for gold or glory. He had to prove the woman wrong; to show that he, Commodore Norrington, was a man of honor. But he swore an oath to obey and keep the Law. And a pirate is still a pirate.

After some silence, Norrington cleared his throat.

"I will postpone the hanging to the evening of tomorrow," James informed.

Ashlyn whipped her head around to face the Commodore, who gave a soft smile. He respectfully nodded and made his leave until Ashlyn could no longer see the shadow with that fancy hat, nor hear his polished boots.

She shot upright. Regretting the action as her vision blurred and she stumbled before grabbing a bar. Once able to stand correctly, she let out a low laugh.

"Unfortunately, gentlemen are also _quite_ the gullible ones."


	4. Chapter 3

**A/N: I do not own any characters, plot lines, or any other details that are a part of this narrative -that all belongs to the childhood castle of Disney and the creators behind the Pirates of the Caribbean series. I only own my character/s and their actions into the story. Thank you!**

* * *

**THE LEGACY OF A PIRATE**

_CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL_

_Chapter 3_

'_Wounds Tend To Hurt Every Now And Then'_

**Port Royal, Jamaica**

**Fort Charles' Jail Cells**

**1728**

** Jack's **sword fight with a young blacksmith and had been quite tiring; mostly for Jack. If anything, he wished Ashlyn was here to do the fighting as she was always the better of the two.

Unfortunately for Jack, the boy was proficient in the art of sword fighting. Apparently, he's been practicing with them for three hours each day. Jack concluded it was to impress some lass.

The two had fought in the rafters of the blacksmiths until Jack supposedly 'cheated' as he used some dust bag near the fire to blind the boy and gain the advantage.

Though Jack had won, the Naval Officers had figured out where he was and broke through the locked doors. In the end, it wasn't either of them who got the better of the pirate, but rather the passed out old drunk Jack had found earlier who knocked him out with his empty rum bottle; commencing Jack to be arrested by the Commodore.

Jack was still unconscious when placed in the cell with Ashlyn. He was just beginning to regain his awareness when he was abruptly smacked in the face by a firm hand. His head violently flew to his right.

"_Bugger!"_ He cried out.

"You sure took your time waking up, Jacky." The man raised a hand to his stinging face while openly scowling at the kneeling woman in front of him.

"I'll have you know that you disturbed quite a pleasant dream."

"Oh really?" She asked disinterestedly as she sat back against the other side's cell wall and inspected her graze wound -the front of her pants pulled down slightly in order to get a better look at it- giving Jack an approving view of her upper thigh, and the few scrapes that resided there.

"Oh yes, it had you in it. Naked, if you must know-"

"Christ, Jacky, we had sex once as teenagers, and you've never let it down."

"How could I? You're the one who spoiled me." He smirked at the reminder.

"A mistake on my part," Ashlyn declared playfully as she ended her inspection, a laugh escaping her when seeing Jack's face.

"Are those bandages?" Sparrow asked as he actually paid attention to her wound.

She nodded and grazed her fingers along the tight bind and itchy cotton on her wound. Hancock informed her cellmate of the Commodore having sent a doctor to clean and bandage the injury.

"Now," Ashlyn clapped her hands, "moving on to more important things, I have some news."

Jack nodded his head for her to continue as he stood and began to study the shared cell, scrunching his face at the sight of the men crowding at the cell door. They were attempting to gain the dog's notice as it was carrying the keys.

He placed himself at the corner ledge as Ashlyn began to talk about a new plan; half his focus still on the exceptionally resilient dog.

"I think I can find a way to steal-"

"_Commandeer."_

"Commandeer the Interceptor, be on our merry little way and get the Wench back."

"It's the Pearl now, Ash, I renamed it."

"_And a rose by any other name would still smell as sweet."_ Ashlyn placed her hands on her hips.

Jack tilted his head at what she recited.

"You should read a book once in a while, Jacky. That's one of the Bard of Avon's most popular pieces."

"No matter," Jack stretched out his legs. "How do you plan on being on our merry little way? If you haven't noticed-" He tapped on a metal bar with one of his rings, "we're in a cage and sure to hang." Jack placed his hat over his eyes and sighed.

"Indeed, we are, but not until tomorrow evening. I'm sure, with some _persuasion,_ James will be more than happy to let us out." Ashlyn spoke cheerfully as she lifted his hat a bit to see Jack's disapproving brown eyes.

His face attempted to remain neutral, but the curl of his lip and twitch in his eye revealed his displeasure.

"Persuasion? If I remember correctly, that was the same plan you had years ago. I can _certainly _remember how that plan of seduction ended." He pointed out to her as she began to scratch the back of her neck as her cheeks flared up.

"Seduc-"

"Yes, seduction! The son of the man who killed your parents when you were not yet eight? That man, who you're on a first name basis with apparently." Jack interrupted as he rose from his sitting position and walked toward the woman.

The two didn't notice nor care that the other jailed men silenced themselves as they listened in on their conversation.

Ashlyn stood her ground in disbelief. He thought she wanted to seduce the man.

_How absurd._

"You're not going to fall in love with this one, are you?" Jack whispered low enough for the other criminals wouldn't hear. Her perplexed face dropped and stiffened into resentment at his words.

"How _dare _you," Ashlyn whispered with cold eyes as Jack neared.

He shook his head in disapproval. "How dare me? How dare _you._ I want my ship back, and you agreed to help me do just that. I don't need you getting sidetracked for another blue-coat bloke who likes to look at you. For now on, I think we'll do my plan and wait for the opportune moment."

Jack turned around, unable to look her in the eye anymore and walked back to where he was previously sitting; his hat once again put down over his eyes. "Do remember he's the enemy, luv. A Commodore of the Royal Navy and the heir won't settle well amongst people, savvy?"

"I'm not the heir." Ashlyn weakly defended herself in a barely audible voice as she finally looked away from the man, gaining interest with kicking the straw on the stone floor and relaxed her tightened white-knuckled fists.

Jack, nonetheless, didn't need to hear what she said as he already knew the response he would receive; Jack heard it every time.

"So you say."

The two pirates remained in tense silence as they sat in opposing corners of the cell.

Dawn soon arrived, and Ashlyn yearned for the hanging to not be postponed to tomorrow. Jack's remembrance of her past mistakes had pained her, even more so as he had sworn to never bring them up. Scars may have healed over time, but they still bothered one when reminded. Her hand hovered over her chest instinctively.

Ashlyn couldn't believe how little he thought of her. To think that she would do the same mistake that almost cost both of their lives all those years ago.

She wanted to kill the Commodore, not marry him. The man's father murdered her parents, for God's sake.

The fellow jailed felons had renewed their efforts to lure the dog; whistling and giving compliments to it in whispers as to not perk the ears of the Officers standing guard. It appeared that their endless and desperate attempts of escape had finally gotten to Jack. He was the first to speak since their small quarrel.

"You can keep doing that forever, the dog is never going to move."

The men turned to look at Jack. "Oh, excuse us if we haven't resigned ourselves to the gallows just yet." Said the man handling the bare bone out through the bars.

Jack only smirked before turning back away.

"At least someone's trying," Ashlyn remarked under her breathe, though made sure Jack could hear her snide comment. He barely detected it as the winds outside had picked up. The pirate gave her a fleeting glance.

"Opportune moment, luv."

"And when is that? When we're about to _hang!?"_ Ashlyn threw a pebble she found against the stonewall in anger as it bounced off the raised ledge. At that precious moment a direct hit on the Fort sounded from the oh-so-familiar noise of cannon fire.

For just a second, Ashlyn had assumed that she caused the commotion until she heard the distantly urgent yell of commands from the Commodore himself to return fire.

"I know those cannons," Jack said to himself as he hurried to the window, soon accompanied by

Ashlyn as they gaped at the pirate vessel attacking Port Royal and its Fort. "It's the Pearl," Jack confirmed, a smile on his face as he and Ashlyn stared at one another; their argument promptly forgotten about.

"The Black Pearl?" The man holding the bone asked as he and another man grasped onto the bars separating their cells. "I've heard stories. She's been preying on ships and settlements for near ten years. Never leaves any survivors."

The two pirates raised a brow at one another before turning toward the nervous man. "No survivors?" Jack questions, a prideful smile painted on his face. "Then where do the stories come from; I wonder." The man scrunched his brow in confusion and glanced back at his cellmate.

"I thought she was gone, Jacky. How'd you save her?"

Jack forced a laugh. "I have my ways."

Hancock patted Jack on the back, though not pleased with such an obscure answer.

She could feel her heart grow heavy in disappointment. As young adults, the two shared every detail with each other; not a single detail was left unsaid. But now it seemed these new secrets were going to be kept for some time.

They watched the _Pearl _continue to shoot at the town as the crew rowed longboats to the shore. A cannon heading straight for the cells of the Fort had Jack hastily enveloping his arms around Ashlyn, bringing the two of them onto the ground as the cannonball blew a hole in the adjacent cell, rubble and sparks flying everywhere. Ashlyn groaned as she leaned up, her hand reaching for her pained spine as she regained the breath her fall took away from her.

"My sympathies, my friends. You've no matter of luck at all." The fellow criminal pitied as he and the other three men jumped out the newly made hole out the Fort with a giggle. Jack took a glance at the neighboring cell and saw the bone on the ground and reached through the bars to grab it.

"Maybe I should have annoyed Norrington a bit more," Ashlyn said to herself as she looked at the gaping hole in disbelief.

She turned back to see Jack try to attract the dog with the bone like the men had earlier. The frightened animal was lying under a nearby bench, but the bone proved to be working.

"Is this your idea of an opportune moment?"

"No! But she's close!" Jack cried as he invited the dog closer. The creature slowly came forward and stood just out of Jack's reach while Ashlyn stayed in her place, not wanting to spook the dog. Toward the end, Jack began to insult the mutt when some commotion upstairs startled the animal and had him run. The pirate Captain called after it as he just missed grabbing onto the ruff of his neck.

A Naval Officer fell down the stairs, most likely now unconscious from before or during the fall; maybe even a snapped neck. Two pirates of Barbossa's walked down, guns and swords at the ready.

"This isn't the armory," one stated his apparent confusion as he peered around. The other pirate with him narrowed his eyes at the sight of Jack and sheathed his sword.

"Well, well, well. Look what we have here, Twigg. Captain Jack Sparrow," the dreadlocked pirate said as the two walked closer to the cell and he spat on the floor.

"Last time I saw you, you were all alone on a godforsaken island." Twigg reminded Jack as the other laughed. "Shrinking into the distance. His fortunes aren't improved much."

"Haven't," Ashlyn vocalized, earning the attention of Twigg and Koehler as she approached the cell door beside Jack.

Twigg pulled a grimace at the unknown woman.

"'His fortunes _haven't _improved much,'" Ashlyn informed with a sardonic smile. "You should learn how to read, _Twigg._ It'll make you appear menacing rather than sound like a fool."

"I know how ta' read." Twigg defended himself as he took a step closer to the girl.

Koehler grabbed Twigg's arm to stop him. "No, ya don't." He said as he drew the man back beside him. The two gave a dirty look to the female before returning their attention back on Sparrow when said man spoke.

"Worry about your own fortunes, gentleman. The deepest circle of Hell is reserved for betrayers and _mutineers."_

Koehler released a grunt as he swiftly wrapped his hand around Jack's neck through the bars. The moonlight originating from the opened window unveiled a skeleton hand and arm. Ashlyn took a step back from the door at the sight before looking between the arm and Jack's relatively calm expression.

"So, there is a curse," Jack uttered. "That's interesting."

"You know nothing of Hell." Koehler snarled as he freed Jack's throat with a tug and the two crewmembers rushed off out the jails.

Jack studied the dog bone in his hand with newfound inquisitiveness. "That's very interesting." He conversed to himself.

"_Interesting!_ Jacky, you never told me we were going to encounter an undead pirate crew!" Ashlyn slapped his shoulder.

He retracted from her.

"I wasn't entirely sure the rumors were real. Didn't think I'd need to tell you if I wasn't certain, but now I am certain. So, now I can safely inform you that we're going to get my ship back from undead traitors." Jack informed confidently as Ashlyn lightly whacked her head against a bar in defeat.

Jack smiled. "I told you this would be a fun adventure."

"Is there anything else you want to tell me?"

Sparrow scratched his head in thought before grinning up at her. "Nope," he popped.

It wasn't long until the _Pearl _had seized firing and the town had gone quiet. The pirates could only assume that the ship sailed off. The thought of being so close to the _Pearl,_ so close to revenge and freedom had Jack in silence while he glared at the open space in the cell next to them.

Soon Jack fell asleep.

Ashlyn, on the other hand, remained awake as she organized her thoughts as she sat against the barred door.

Their reunion at Tortuga had been quite a surprise, having not seen each other for nearly 13 years. The two had caught up with one another over a drink, but they had avoided certain topics. All Jack had said was that he was betrayed by his first-mate and he was planning on retaking their old ship back, the _Wicked Wench._

However, it wasn't the _Wench _that Ashlyn had made fond memories aboard anymore. Now it was the _Black Pearl_ with wood no longer that shined against the sea and sails charred as black as the smoke that rose above her. 'Fastest ship in all seven seas.' Jack refused to reveal how the former pirate-turned-merchant-back-to-pirate-ship claimed such a title. Sparrow only said that if word got out about its speed, the _Pearl _wouldn't be apprehended by just him, wouldn't be as special anymore.

But she was always special to Ashlyn.

And Hancock was so _sure _that it had burned down all those years ago. The scent of smoke became a permanent smell when she was lit aflame. The memory was there like it happened only hours ago.

_The view from her barred window in her cell was an endless cloud of black. The tears that fell from her eyes were sudden as the girl of twenty was scared and confused. She wanted, nay, needed her friend to be by her side, but he never came. Later, she was informed that Jack negotiated for freedom and had made a deal -for himself, that is. Oh, how it broke the girl's heart._

_And yet, here she was. Sitting in a cold jail cell with the very man who left her in one. But this time it's her pondering through the night as he slept soundly. _

'Why'd I even agree to come?'

She knew exactly why. Not to rekindle some childhood friendship, though she hoped she could. Not to exact revenge on Lawrence Norrington, but the thought was constantly there. Not even to see the ship she loved so dearly once again. But to escape that bloodied life; escape _him._

The hustling of boots down the stairs had Ashlyn turning to see Norrington and two other blue coats. The three Naval men cursed at the scene before them, though relaxed somewhat when seeing the two pirates still in their cell. The Commodore turned to his men.

"Gillette. Groves. Gather some Officers and find those four men. I will not tolerate attempted rapists in Port Royal on my account," Norrington ordered strictly. The two Lieutenants nodded and left right away, leaving Norrington alone with the two remaining prisoners.

The Commodore walked toward the pirates' cell, and Ashlyn pulled herself up to speak to the man easier as not to wake Jack.

"Did you know?" Norrington whispered rather harshly, making Ashlyn scuff while she shook her head when she noticed his hand hovering over his sword's grip.

"I did not. Those pirates aren't exactly friendly toward Jacky, and in return, me." Ashlyn began as she crossed her arms.

Norrington lowered his head and relaxed his shoulders as he let out a heavy breath. "I apologize, Miss Hancock. I don't mean to sound ill-mannered. It's been a difficult time lately, is all." Ashlyn nodded her head in response as her arms fell onto the bars.

"I don't doubt that. You've only just been promoted, I mean, look what happened since. Some high society woman fell off the Fort, you arrested a Hancock after the other pirate escaped, caught him, who -by the way- saved said high class woman's life. Then you had to deal with a surprise attack by different criminals, and now four attempted rapists are on the loose. I do not envy you, Commodore." Ashlyn smiled as the man chuckled.

"Yes, it's been quite the day." He remarked.

"Where's that fancy feathered hat of yours?" Ashlyn questioned as she just now noticed its absence upon his head. Norrington gave a glance upward to see that his hat was indeed missing.

"It would seem that I lost it during that surprise pirate attack you mentioned."

"I'm sure you can have one of your men go out looking for it. You look rather ghastly without it."

"I thought I'd looked rather charming without the hat." Norrington raised a smirk at the act grimace Ashlyn wore.

"Whoever told you so was lying."

James stated at the woman's noticeably tired eyes, though even with the bags under them, their color had reminded him of the shallows over a reef at dawn.

He cleared his throat and took a step back from the cell door before informing the pirate of the prolonging postpone of her and Jack's hanging. This was due because of the destruction of the noose and platform.

"Can't say I'm not overjoyed with the news," Ashlyn responded. "Before you go," she piped up, sensing the uncomfortable atmosphere between them. "Why did you originally delay our deaths?"

James hesitated before answering her, a small smile on his face. "Do you have any idea of how many letters I'd have to write out about the apprehension of you? I'd have to write one to King George the Second and invite him to your hanging because of the actions of your great-grandfather back in sixteen-thirty."

"Aye, but because of those actions I'm technically a royal heir to England," Ashlyn pointed out.

"Only by blood. The Hancock name has been dishonored and ever since, a true enemy of the Crown."

"They teach you that in Royal Navy Academy?" Ashlyn remarked with a playful smile.

"They did actually. Proud to say that I was the youngest and graduated top of my class," James smiled back.

After a few moments of a pleasant silence between the two, Norrington deemed it to be a good time to leave. He bid his goodbye and left, an amused smirk on his lips from their conversation.

Admittedly, Ashlyn Hancock had grown on him with her quick-witted banter and that playful, lop-sided, arrogant smirk she wore like second nature. She was new and entertaining unlike the everyday high-class folks he spoke too regularly.

On the other hand, her amusing presence didn't excuse the crimes that Hancock had committed. A pirate is still a pirate and her brand proved it. The East India Trading Company wouldn't just willy-nilly a brand on some 'innocent girl' she played off.

Rest didn't come easy for Ashlyn. She was absent from the gentle rock of a ship, a comforting bed, and the prominent aroma of salt in the air. But in the end, she prevailed.


	5. Chapter 4

**A/N: I do not own any characters, plot lines, or any other details that are a part of this narrative -that all belongs to the childhood castle of Disney and the creators behind the Pirates of the Caribbean series. I only own my character/s and their actions into the story. Thank you!**

* * *

**THE LEGACY OF A PIRATE**

_CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL_

_Chapter 4_

'_That Family That Everyone Seems To Know'_

**Port Royal, Jamaica**

**Fort Charles Jail Cells**

**1728**

** Morning** came, and Ashlyn was once again rudely awoken. This time, however, it was from the clanging of metal as Jack attempted to pick the lock with the now broken bone.

Cursing under his breath, Jack smacked the bars in protest to its stubbornness.

Ashlyn chuckled at the sight.

"Oh good, you're awake," Jack observed as he paused his actions and gave his full attention toward the stretching woman. "You can pick a lock, right? I mean, your mother was infamous for being a thief, I assume she taught you how before her death."

"I was seven, Jacky. Do you really think a mother would teach her child how to pick-lock at _seven_?"

Jack raised a disbelieving brow.

"I don't really remember the lessons," Ashlyn whispered disappointedly and scratched the back of her neck.

"It's never too late to try, luv," Jack encouraged as he moved away and gestured toward the bone stuck in the keyhole. Ashlyn let out a puff of air to blow the flyaway strands from her eyes. She grabbed hold of the makeshift lock-pick and shifted it around lightly, her ear close to the lock as to hear any clicks.

The sound of a gate opening gained both the pirates' attention to the stairs before quickly disregarding the bone and positioning themselves innocently as steps dashed down the stairs.

A guard, however, wasn't what the two received, but rather the very man Ashlyn had bumped into the day before.

"You, Sparrow." The young man determinedly called to Jack, who raised his head in response while he laid in the middle of the floor.

Ashlyn sat against the wall beside him.

"_Miss Ashlyn?_"

"Hello there, dear William. Nice to see you once more." Ashlyn spoke cheerfully as she rose to lean against the cell door to see the man more visibly. Jack narrowed his eyes as he looked between the two, curious as to how they met.

"Why are you behind bars with this _pirate_," Will asked as he glanced at Jack disgustingly, a look which Jack returned.

"Simple, really. I'm a pirate too. Sparrow, here, is my partner in crime."

"How come I didn't see it before?" Will questioned himself as he got a good look of Ashlyn's attire. Her unbuttoned black overcoat with blue lining the edges was dusted with dirt along the tail end due to the jail's unclean condition -however, the silver buttons still gleamed brightly.

Her grey undershirt was larger than her small frame, most likely a man's shirt.

The corset, black with a red outline and gold latches, was the most lady-like feature on her person; contrasting heavily with her baggy brown trousers and a white sash tied around her hips.

Black boots scuffed with dirt, also seeming looser than needed for her frame. Her outfit had practically screamed that she was a pirate, and Will was confused on how he didn't notice it before.

"It's no fault of your own, dear William, I acted in confidence and constantly moved around so you wouldn't get a good look of what I wore. In other words, I kept you distracted until I was able to make you think that what I am is what you think that I am, which, in turn, is what I made you think I am, but I am not what I made you think that I am, which is what I am," Ashlyn explained with a cocky smile on her face at his even more profound confused expression.

"I don't follow." He responded.

"I'll dumb it down-"

"What is it that you came here for?" Jack interrupted the two, shaking the lad back into reality as he returned his sights on the male pirate. The female decided to stay quiet as the men conversed with a roll of her eyes.

"You're familiar with that ship, the Black Pearl?"

Jack lowered his head back onto the ground and acted dumb. "We've heard of it."

"Where does it make berth?"

"_Where's it make berth?_ Have you not heard the stories?" Will stayed silent in response as Jack waved a hand toward Ashlyn.

"Barbossa and his crew-" She began.

"_Of miscreants!_" Jack added.

"Sail from the dreaded Isle de Muerta. Spanish for 'Island of Death.'" Ashlyn spoke in disregard to the dreadlocked pirate.

Sparrow picked the story up from there.

"It's an island that cannot be found except by those who already know where it is."

"The ship's real enough. Therefore, it's anchorage must be a real place. Where is it?" Will demanded.

Jack raised a hand to look at his nails. "Why ask us?"

"Because you're pirates."

"And you want to turn pirate yourself, is that it?"

At Jack's suggestion, the young man gripped the bars forcefully to prove a point.

"_Never._"

Ashlyn moved away from the bars at his reaction and pulled a face at Jack in response before turning back at the brunet.

"I rather prefer the ever-doting and the flustered lad from yesterday. Something certainly happened to him between then and now to get him so. . . violent." Ashlyn indirectly interrogated the young man as Jack raised a brow in curiosity at him in encouragement to answer.

The man looked between the pirates before pushing himself off the bars and placing his arms at his side in defeat. "They took Miss Swann."

The pirates made a noise of surprise and joy in unison to one another. "So, it is that you found a girl." Jack smiled as he sat up.

"Miss Swann? She's the daughter of that old man from yesterday, isn't she, Jacky? The one you saved." Ashlyn remarked in jest to embarrass the boy even more so, her smug smile growing as the man glared at her.

"Aye, I believe she is," Jack turned his gaze onto his fellow pirate. "The lovely looking lass."

"Lovely looking lass," Ashlyn repeated when turning toward Will who held a scowl, though his cheeks were a few shades of pink.

"Well if you're attending to brave all hasten to a rescue'n, and so win fair lady's heart. You'll have to do it alone, mate. I see no profit in it for us." Jack told the man, an encouragement, nonetheless, for a bargain to begin.

"I can get you out of here," Will suggested.

The pirates looked at each other before turning back toward Will.

"How's that, the key's runoff," Jack gestured as the young man studied the bars.

"I helped build these cells," He reasoned. "These are half-pin barrel hinges." Will took a look around before grabbing a nearby bench.

Ashlyn, confusion expressed along her face, turned to Jack who mouthed that the boy's a blacksmith. She nodded in understanding.

"With the right leverage and proper application of strength," Will explained as he placed the bench legs over a bar. "The door will lift free."

Jack paused. "What's your name?"

"Will Turner."

Jack leaned up with a small smile. "That would be short for 'William,' I imagine. Good strong name. No doubt name of your father, ey?"

Will hesitated before confirming Jack's implication toward the name. Will glanced at Ashlyn in hopes of an answer only to see her face shrouded with confusion as well; not a long reach to assume she didn't know the reason behind Jack's questioning.

"Huh-uh. Well, Mister Turner," Jack stood. "I change me mind. If you spring us from this cell, we swear on pain of death, we shall take you to the Black Pearl and your bonny lass. Do we have an accord." Jack stuck his hand out through the bars.

"On pain of death? Awfully painful, death is," Ashlyn crossed her arms over her chest, one hand itching her sternum thoughtlessly. The two men glanced at her. "I assume," she added before rolling her eyes at the two. "_Fine, fine, fine. _On pain of death."

Will glanced at Jack's hand before shaking it.

"Agreed."

"Agreed," Jack repeated. Will turned toward Ashlyn, unsure if he had to shake her hand too.

"If I'm going to make an accord on pain of death to return a daughter to her father," Ashlyn stated before spitting into her hand and holding it out towards young William. "I'm going to make it a proper agreement."

Will smirked at the pirate before spitting into his hand and shaking hers firmly.

"Now, get us out." Jack waved his hands for Will to do his thing. The young man kicked his foot into place on the bench and tugged down on it, the hinges of the cell door lifting, and he quickly grabbed the loose door before dropping it onto the ground.

"Hurry, someone must have heard that," Will warned as the two pirates walked over the barred door.

"Not without our effects," Jack told the lad as he grabbed his gear from the hook. Ashlyn grabbed hers off the bench and quickly placed her sheath over her shoulder and placed her cutlass in its appropriate spot on her left and her pistol up front.

"Why bother with that?" Will asked Jack. "You could've escaped if you killed me before, but you weren't willing to use it."

"You were going to kill the lad?" Ashlyn asked as she adjusted her sheath's strap properly, though her comment remained unnoticed.

"Are you advising me that was a mistake," Jack cocked his pistol and aimed it at Will, a fearful look crossed over the young man's face. Ashlyn, however, remained unbothered by Jack's action, fully knowing Jack's intent to use the single bullet in the pistol on Barbossa, and no one else.

"When you only got one shot, it's best to wait for the opportune moment. That wasn't it. Nor is this." Jack uncocked the gun before placing it into its holster.

The three were able to escape the Fort quite easily as most soldiers were off doing as their superior Officers bided. Eventually, they crossed the small flooded pathway under a bridge when reaching the docks, which had remained unharmed from Barbossa's attack due to the different cove the Naval ships were located in.

"We're going to steal a ship?" Will asked, quite disbelieved with the actions as he looked at the _Interceptor_ along with Ashlyn. Jack, on the other hand, was gazing out at the anchored _Dauntless_ down further in the cove.

Will saw Jack's gaze and stared at the grandeur vessel. "That ship?"

"'Commandeer,' as Jacky likes to put it," Ashlyn informed the lad as she lightly slapped him on the shoulder like old friends.

"Aye, 'commandeer.' We're going to commandeer that ship." Jack pointed at the _Interceptor _as the three watched Officers and paid sailors load the smaller Naval ship with needed essentials for their quest; most likely to save dear Miss Swann like William intended to do so, which would make sense for Will's unlawful actions as he is not a sailor nor a Naval Officer -only a lonesome blacksmith.

"Nautical term," Jack informed last minute upon the term he preferred to use before spinning toward the lad. "One question about your business, boy, or there's no use going. This girl. How far are you willing to go to save her?"

"_I'd die for her._" Will instantly replied to Jack, quite forcefully too, as Jack took a step back from him. Ashlyn spontaneously snorted and covered her mouth to muffle the noise so they wouldn't gain the attention of passing by sailormen.

"I'm sorry, _I'm sor_\- sorry. Wow, that- _that _was a good laugh. By God, Mister Turner, you would die for a person who could possibly not return your strong feelings for?" Ashlyn recovered herself against the wall as she clutched her stomach and stared at the gentleman in curiosity.

"I would."

Ashlyn's eyes softened at his words before hardening once more. "Love is the most ignorant of weaknesses, making it the most dangerous. I choose to stay clear from that so I can live another day," Ashlyn responded emotionless. Will's face contorted to one of pity.

She noticed the look and cleared her throat while purposely bumping shoulders into Will to stand beside Jack. He continued his lookout during their short conversation.

"No worries, Will. Jacky and I always turn out fine in the end."

"Good," Will nodded to Ashlyn.

She released a sigh, "Usually." Ashlyn continued as an afterthought before moving into the plants and for cover trees behind Jack once the coast was clear of sailors. Will trailed behind a second later once he processed Ashlyn's words, exhaling a deep cautious breath before thinking, as the pirates put it, of the _lovely_ Elizabeth Swann and the horrid situation she must be in.

Ashlyn tapped Jack on the shoulder to quietly gain his attention as the three hid in some tall bushes as two guards walked by.

"What's the plan?"

"Remember our failed attempt at escaping the rogue pirates when you were around, uh, thirteen or so and I was sixteen?" Jack responded swiftly.

The corner of Ashlyn's mouth grew at the memory and nodded in understanding. Will looked between the two, obviously missing something.

"_Failed_ escape plan? _Rogue_ pirates? _Thirteen years of age?_" Will whispered loudly to the pirates dumbfounded. The two instantly turned toward the young man and hushed him before Jack left the others out into the open. Will went to follow until Ashlyn put a hand to his chest to stop him and held a single finger out for him to wait.

Jack was the first to reach the upside-down boat and checked the area before signaling one of them over. Ashlyn pushed Will out into the open and watched as he ran to Jack, who told him to get under the boat in the back end. Jack lifted it to check on the lad and saw how Will was under, though uncomfortably, before going underneath as well.

Ashlyn stepped forward until she heard the jogging steps of soldiers nearby and quickly went back into the coverage of trees and plants. Once the small group passed by, the boys lifted the boat slightly and began their walk toward the water. Ashlyn took the opportunity and dashed towards them, sliding last second under the boat between Will and Jack before fluently kneeling to help hold the longboat.

Jack swatted the sand from the back of his legs away.

The trio was able to slowly walk underwater, using the boat as an air pocket -something the two pirates had learned during that failed escape Jack had mentioned earlier.

"This is either madness or brilliance," Will spoke up as they walked beside the docks.

"It's remarkable how often those two traits coincide." Jack countered.

Ashlyn heard an echoed crunch underwater. She looked down to see that Will had stepped into a fisherman's crab trap. His attempts to get it off caused the woman to chuckle at the sight. Will gave up and continued his walk, crab trap and all.

It had taken a while, but the three made it to where the _Dauntless _was anchored. Jack took one look at the crab trap around Will's foot before deciding to surface. They breached by the ship's stern.

Once getting Will's foot free of the crab trap, Jack and Ashlyn tied it and its rope around the rudder. This was to immobilize the ship's primary control of steerage. Afterward, Ashlyn stripped her gear, overcoat, and boots and handed them to Jack. She climbed up the rudder, using Jack's shoulder as a boost, and entered the ship to figure out a way for the other two to get onto it. The space she climbed up was just big enough for her to fit through, certainly not enough for them.

Inside the ship, Ashlyn was quick to avoid any sailor that just so happen to walk by, her light feet giving her an advantage to being stealthy. She had no weapons on her, so if a fight were to occur, she would be at a snag, however, Ashlyn was happy to spot only a small handful of men onboard. She entered the Officer's Quarters and whistled down toward the two men sitting on the longboat.

It took a few tries, but eventually, Will was able to toss the crab trap's barrel-buoy into the air up for Ashlyn to catch. She tied the rope along the railing for Jack and Will to climb.

Jack was the first to reach Ashlyn's spot.

"How many?" Jack asked as he unequipped Ashlyn's weapons from his person and handed her her coat from off his shoulder.

"I counted eight. Five sailors, two red coats, and one Lieutenant Gillette," Ashlyn informed. She reached a handout toward Will over the railing as both of his were moderately occupied with her boots. Jack continued climbing up onto the Captain's Quarters' railings and onward onto the stern deck, Will and Ashlyn shadowing behind. Upon passing the wheel, the three outdrew their weaponry. Ashlyn knew her guns were useless as the gunpowder was wet, but the Navy men didn't know that. Jack and Will took the stairs while Ashlyn, being the melodramatic woman that Jack always complains about, hopped over the railing and landed with a loud thud, causing her to gain the attention of all the sailors on the main deck.

"Everyone stay calm! We are taking over the ship," Jack announced toward the men as Will too jumped over the handrail on the opposite side to Ashlyn.

"Aye! Avast!" Will yelled, his sword drawn beside Jack as the two pirates delivered him an incredulous look while the sailors, save for Gillette, broke out in laughter. Will gave the pirates an innocent look.

"This ship cannot be crewed by two men and a _woman_." Gillette smugly declared a pointed look at Ashlyn before reverting his attention to the men. "You'll never make it out of the bay."

"Son, I'm Captain Jack Sparrow. And this here," Jack inclined his head toward Ashlyn as she holstered her pistol and unsheathed her sword while Jack cocked his gun straight at Gillette's forehead. Ashlyn moved herself behind the Lieutenant. "This here _is_ Ashlyn Hancock. Savvy?"

Gillette glanced at the beaming pirate woman, and the gun pointed at his face. "Can't be her. Last I heard, she was dead."

Ashlyn huffed in irritation and planted the tip of her cutlass in the center of his back and lightly pushed pressure on it; forcing him to shuffle closer to Jack's pointed gun and Will's raised sword just over Sparrow's shoulder.

Her eyes remained on the crew behind them to make sure none decided to make a move against her.

"Unlucky for you," Jack spoke, "she's quite alive."

Gillette glimpsed the many weapons aimed at him as he took a deep breath and nodded his head toward the two pirates and the young metalworker, his way of standing down toward them.

Will smiled.

It seemed that the pirates were more productive than the Navy.


	6. Chapter 5

**A/N: I do not own any characters, plot lines, or any other details that are a part of this narrative -that all belongs to the childhood castle of Disney and the creators behind the Pirates of the Caribbean series. I only own my character/s and their actions into the story. Thank you!**

* * *

**THE LEGACY OF A PIRATE**

_CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL_

_Chapter 5_

'_Reputation Is All That People Remember'_

**Port Royal, Jamaica**

_**HMS Dauntless' **_**Deck**

**1728**

** Although** Will had deemed the pirates to be quite the genius', Jack's ploy to lure the Commodore to the _Dauntless_ with the _Interceptor_ was anticlimactic, to say the least. Will expected cannon fire and a chase, however, Jack had Will flail around and masquerade as if he was pulling the sails down. All the while, Sparrow 'directed' him. Ashlyn, in the meantime, was nowhere to be found atop the deck.

Turner could make out the shouting from Gillette -who was aboard a longboat with the other sailors- to the Commodore on how the three have taken the ship.

The blacksmith scurried up the stern deck where Jack was leisurely posed, his pistol held over his shoulder.

"Here they come," Will informed as Jack turned around to watch as the _Interceptor _dropped their sails. A broad smile formed as his plan was set into place. Jack peered along the deck with slight puzzlement.

"Where's Ash?"

"Right here!" Ashlyn called as she skipped up the steps with a playful smile. "Ah, I see that the Commodore is on his way."

"Where were you?" Jack questioned with half interest. It wasn't like her to not fully participate in his plans.

"Captain's Quarters."

"Why?"

"Does it matter?"

"I guess not." Jack exhaled in defeat before gaining another look at the gaining Naval ship. "We should hide now. To the bow!"

The three rushed themselves to the front of the ship, hiding behind the foremast as the _Interceptor_ brushed up against the _Dauntless_. As all the Officer's hoisted themselves up onto the boat with hooks or jogged up the gangplank amid ship. Ashlyn could hear Norrington's orders to check the entirety of the ship and admired his determination.

If only he left some of his men onboard.

One after one, they swiftly swung themselves over onto the _Interceptor_. Will used an axe to cut the ropes binding the ships together as Jack steered the faster ship away. Ashlyn stood beside him as she gazed at the Officers' attempt to locate them.

The gangplanks fell into the water. Their splashes grabbing Norrington's attention as he realized what had happened and quickly ordered his men back on the _Interceptor_. In the end, however, the smaller ship had escaped the _Dauntless'_ reach; evident to one sailor's attempt to swing over.

"Thank you, Commodore, for getting us ready to make way! We'd have had a hard time of it by ourselves!" Jack yelled gleefully, his hat in his hand as he waved it goodbye. Ashlyn granted the Royal Navy men a cocky bow in the meantime before sending a salute toward the Commodore once the two made eye contact. She could only imagine the biting frustration in James' jaw at their genius plan and mocking thanks.

A line of Officers fired their guns at the three, making them duck out of reach. Ashlyn, subconsciously protected with her justifiable hubris, stood once they finished shooting their weapons.

"Ya missed!" She taunted with a shout. The smile on her face was temporarily ripped away as Jack unexpectedly grabbed the back coat and dragged her down onto the deck as one Officer fired his gun toward the overzealous woman. Luckily for her, it missed -though the bullet landed straight into the mizzenmast behind her; head level.

"Let's try not to get killed so soon, savvy?" Jack suggested to the female pirate as she let out a laugh after Jack released a heavy sigh of annoyance.

She'll never change.

* * *

_**HMS Dauntless'**_** Deck**

**Port Royal Harbor**

* * *

With a huff, Norrington turned away from the sight of the pirates escaping with the_ Interceptor_.

"Set topsails and clear up this mess," he ordered with a frown, clearly frustrated with the events.

Lieutenant Groves followed behind his commander.

"With the wind a quarter astern, we won't catch them," he reminded his superior, hoping that the proud man didn't forget essential factors with his want for retaliation getting the better of him.

"I don't need to catch them, just get them in range of the long nines," James instructed as they climbed up to the stern deck. Groves nodded as he realized where his Commodore's strategic mind was at.

"Hands, come about! Run out the guns!" Groves told the sailors as they stood next to the railing and watched the _Interceptor_, the pirates, and Will slowly sail away.

"We are to fire on our own ship, sir?" Groves asked, quite unsure with Norrington's orders to fire upon their fastest ship.

"I'd rather see her at the bottom of the ocean than in the hands of pirates," James replied accordingly as he leaned forward on top of the railing.

"Commodore. They disabled the rudder chain, sir," a sailor at the helm informed the blue coats. Norrington tilted his head down. It seemed that this day and the day previous was not the best start to Norrington's newly promoted career.

"They've got to be the best pirates I've ever seen," the young Lieutenant complimented.

"_So, it would seem,_" Norrington responded as he glared at the slowly shrinking ship in the distance.

_He had them._

He had two notorious pirates locked away in his Fort.

Captain Jack Sparrow; the pirate who ransacked Port of Nassau with naught a shot and the man who invaded the East India Trading Company for years.

To add insult to injury to Jack's escape, a Hancock was locked with him. The woman pirate known for avenging her grandfather's death from a privateer and was declared dead only for her to be revealed as alive and well for the past 12 years, escaping the eyes of both the East India Trading Company and the Royal Navy.

It seemed that Norrington's haughtiness had gotten the better of himself. Unfortunately, it also appeared that the lady Hancock's charismatic ways had an influence on their escape as well; convinced him, even, that she was innocent.

James was disgusted with himself -allowing himself to be charmed by a pirate.

Oh, but the _adrenaline_. To be in the presence of any infamous criminal was thrilling, but a Hancock? Such a capture would make him a hero. The entirety of England would be present at her hanging. A long and feared lineage would come to an _actual _end under the hands of Law.

And yet, James Norrington sent no word nor letter to his superiors.

'_Proud to say that I was the youngest and graduated top of my class,'_ Norrington internally berated himself, shaking his head when he thought back to his and Ashlyn's last conversation. The soft gleam in her eyes, he had deemed, was pure intrigue at the time. Now thinking back, it wouldn't be too far of a stretch to say she faked it in order to sustain his boyish ego. Maybe even prolong her sentence that he had, _already_, dragged out to the next day.

It seemed as if the root to a man's weakness, no matter his status, was a pretty face.

"Commodore!" A sailor below yelled.

Said Commodore sighed at the interruption as he put his attention toward the man. A folded piece of paper he waved in his hand caught James' interest. The sailor ran up the stairs and passed it to the Commodore. His full name and title written in quill on the front.

As he opened it, Norrington inspected the writing, a woman's hand he assumed by the way each letter was neatly curved and slanted, although not in cursive like most letters are written out to be.

Ashlyn's.

_I assume by now that you and your crew have realized that the rudder chain has been disabled. My apologies, it was the only way possible to make sure you would be a ways behind us as we venture to save the young Turner's lass. We promised the boy and I intend on keeping my word. I also apologize for tricking you into believing I was some damsel in distress. A gentleman like yourself are rare -to take advantage of it was unfair. If it's any consolation, I do hope we meet again. I'd enjoy a duel, unless of course, your gentlemanly ways are too chicken to fight a woman._

_Farewell James,_

_A.H._

Norrington folded the letter back up once finishing his read and placed it in an inner pocket of his coat for safe keeping. A corner of his lip lifted slightly.

Maybe the gleam in Ashlyn's eyes wasn't entirely faked.

James turned toward the Lieutenant.

"Groves, find Gillette. Tell him to meet me in my office, along with Governor Swann. Do grab some good men and make sure the rudder is quickly able once again. We have pirates to reunite with." He nodded to Groves as he quickly took his leave.

* * *

_**HMS Interceptor's Deck**_

_**A Mile Out From Port Royal**_

* * *

"When I was a lad living in England," Will spoke up to the pirates as he sharpened his sword, "my mother raised me by herself. After she died, I came out here, looking for my father."

"Is that so?" Jack stated disinterestedly as he checked the Jacob's ladder ropes before walking to the stern deck, where Ashlyn was handling the helm, to tighten other lines.

Will stopped and placed the wilt stone down as he turned toward Jack and followed him up the stairs.

"My father Will Turner. At the jail, it was only after you learnt my name you agreed to help. Since that's what I wanted, I didn't press the matter. I'm not a simpleton, Jack. You knew my father."

Jack sighed as he stood to face the lad. "I knew him. Probably one of the few who knew him as William Turner. Everyone else called him Bootstrap or Bootstrap Bill."

"Bootstrap?" Will questioned. Jack took over the wheel from Ashlyn as she listened in on the conversation.

"Billy Bootstrap?" Ashlyn confirmed with Jack, who nodded his head with a curious brow to the nickname. Will turned toward her. "Oh, I know him too! Not as William, though."

"You knew Bootstrap?" Jack asked.

Ashlyn nodded her head as she pulled herself on the railing to sit, her legs swinging childishly.

"I do. Met him a while back. Good man."

"Good pirate." Jack nodded in agreement as he added on. He glanced back at Will. "I swear, you look just like him."

She looked toward Will as she restudied him. "Aye, he does! Can't believe I didn't see the resemblance beforehand at the shoppes."

"It's not true," Will interrupted their conversation. "He was a merchant sailor. A respectable man who obeyed the law."

Ashlyn let out a loud snort. "Yeah, and I'm dead."

"He was a bloody pirate. A scallywag," Jack truthfully told Will, no matter the lad's personal opinions on pirates like him and Ashlyn.

"My father was not a pirate," Will unsheathed his sword toward Jack. The male pirate captain rolled his eyes, similar to Ashlyn's response to Will's words. Sparrow pulled an overly exaggerated face to Ashlyn as she smirked in return.

"Put it away, son. It's not worth you getting beat again."

"You didn't beat me. You ignored the rules of engagement. In a fair fight, I'd kill you."

Ashlyn waved her hands to gain Will's attention, "Uh, pirate? Doesn't give much incentive for Jack to fight fair then, does it?"

Jack nodded his head in agreement with Ashlyn before winking at her. With Will distracted, Jack suddenly turned the steering wheel, causing the boom pole of the mast to head straight into him. The young man hung onto the pole over the water; Ashlyn having ducked under as to not get hit as well.

Jack picked up Will's sword and pointed it at the struggling Turner. Ashlyn took over the wheel, her attention mostly on Sparrow's words.

"Now, as long as you're just hanging there, pay attention. The only rules that really matter are these: what a man can do and what a man can't do. Or for Ashlyn's sake, a woman. For instance, you can accept that your father was a pirate and a good man, or you can't. But pirate is in your blood boy, just as dual royalty is in Ashlyn's," Jack spoke as he could practically feel Ashlyn's irked eye roll behind him. "So, you'll just have to square with that someday."

Jack pointed a glance at Ashlyn. She countered with a whispered curse on her lips.

"Now, us, for example. We can let you drown. But we can't bring this ship into Tortuga all by our twosies, savvy?"

Ashlyn turned the wheel, causing Will to hover over the ship before he dropped from a loss of grip. Jack pointed Will's sword at the lying man. "So, can you sail under the command of pirates?" He flipped the weapon around. "Or can you not?"

Will grabbed the handle and raised a brow. "Tortuga?"

"Tortuga," Jack confirmed with a cheery smile.

Ashlyn stomped her foot in discontent before handing the helm's control over to Jack. "I hate Tortuga. Overcrowded, loud, and too many drunks for my liking," she complained as she pulled Will up from the flooring with a helping hand.

Jack spun around, offended. "You love those drunks!"

"Only when we're playing Blackjack! Any other time, they are a nuisance and too much to handle."

"I'm sure you can handle a couple of drunken men," Will complimented.

"A couple, sure. Not everyone on the island."

"I think you need a break," Jack voiced in absolute seriousness.

"A break?" Ashlyn placed her hands on her hips, unsure if she heard him correctly. Jack backed his statement with a nod. "Why would_ I_ need a break?"

Ashlyn crossed her arms in challenge to Jack.

"Uh, because of the, hmm, the sun, the work, the rush of commandeering a Naval vessel. I'm sure you can find an excuse. Now," Jack gestured for her to leave. "Shoo, shoo. Off you go."

Ashlyn reluctantly did as told, not wanting to hear any more of Jack's insistently nagging voice. Turner shadowed behind her. She figured Jack had silently ordered him to follow suit.

The two arrived in the crew's quarters to find four rows of double-stacked beds. Ashlyn released an impressed grunt. Throughout her life, she's been on many Royal Navy ships throughout her life, but never for too long. Commandeering this ship and exploring it would allow her to get a good look of the innards, just in case.

Entering the Crew's Quarters, Ashlyn made a noise of impression to just how well made and proper the cots were. Ashlyn was used to the usual hammocks or messy makeshift beds, not the straight and orderly ones that look identical to one another.

Hancock made a mental note to start stealing Naval vessels instead of leaving them. Much better condition for the crew and herself.

"Miss Ashlyn?"

She turned her head in acknowledgment to Will as they continued to venture throughout the quarters.

"What, exactly, is it that makes the Hancock name so well-known amongst the pirates and Naval men."

Ashlyn paused in her step, surprised on the lack of knowledge the young man had on her family. She was so used to people attempting to manipulate her to gain something or cower in fear because of her reputation that the concept of just not knowing was utterly foreign yet refreshing.

"_You don't know?_" Her voice raised an octave higher in surprise. A question she felt she had to ask to reassure that he, genuinely, didn't know. He shook his head innocently enough, wide eyes with curiosity upon her family's history.

"Well, uh, sit, I guess? I'm gonna make this quick and only say it once, so, you better listen," Ashlyn suggested clumsily as she plopped herself onto a cot with a childish hop, her legs crossing over on another. Will sat opposite to her chosen bed.

"My idiot of a great-great-grandfather, Hancock, grew up an orphan boy in the streets in England. He found love in literature, especially Shakespeare -his only redeeming quality. He eventually worked under the man for some time until he was kicked out because the theatre caught on fire, his fault. Oh, and Shakespeare was the one who gave him a proper first name as 'Gallavan.' My opinion, William probably named him that after the word 'galling' which means 'annoying.'"

"_The_ William Shakespeare?"

"Aye, that's the one."

Will raised a brow, "How'd he become a pirate then?"

"Living on the streets made him easy pickings among raiding pirates and instead of choosing death, he chose to join. Not long into it, he rose through the ranks. Even commandeered his very own Spanish man-o'war. Sixty metres long, rosewood frame with mahogany planking; a true beauty. He christened her the Red Serpent." Ashlyn scrunched her brow as she began to speak to herself. "'Christened' wouldn't be the right word, he was Catholic."

"I think I've heard of that ship before," Will spoke up, though it did no good in regaining her attention.

"Catholicized? _Is that even a word?_"

"Nearly a hundred guns, I believe," Will smiled awkwardly as Ashlyn shook her head to regain her thoughts, having forgotten the original conversation for a moment or two.

"One hundred and three. Don't know why three. 'Tis an odd number. Literally _and_ figuratively," she shook her head. "No matter, that ship sunk long ago, the largest ship now carries forty; that'd be Teach's."

"Teach?"

"Blackbeard."

"Blackbeard! _He's real?!_"

"Of course he is, where do you think I got this lovely necklace from!" Hancock laughed at Turner's disbelieved face as she raised a formerly hidden necklace from under her shirt.

The chain was made of small black pearls that shone even in the darkened room. Each orb contained a swirling blue light, as if it was alive and moving; trapped in the small space and eager to be freed. As Will studied the pearls, he noticed -in no particular pattern- a small number of them were purely dull; no blue shine, just an epitome of empty.

The pale pendant was similarly bland. A carved man with armor on top of a horse with a spear in hand.

"Eddie Teach gave me this in honor of a deal we made a while back when I was working under-" she cleared her throat, "well, circumstances don't really matter, I beat him in the game of chess either way. It's apparently made from the tusks of a large seal-like creature. It was made by the original pirates -Hancock ancestors- up North in a place called Greenland," Ashlyn informed the lad before tucking it back under.

"Now, back to my family history. Gallavan had a son, Braddock. He later became known as 'Mad Dog' because he was, so-called, 'wild,'" Ashlyn quoted her fingers. "Personally, I think he was just young and arrogant to the point where he bloody kidnapped King Charles the First's wife and had my grandfather, Thornton, with her. Later, Braddock killed himself to escape his hanging when he was caught. All in all, Gallavan popularized _and_ diminished the Hancock name to the pirates and Braddock made sure our name was widespread and feared amongst the high-class folk."

"An actual queen?"

She nodded with a smirk, remembering her conversation with James a day earlier. "Royal blood, remember?"

Will let out a small laugh, having thought Jack was making stuff up until now. He went to ask what the 'dual' part of Jack's words meant, but Ashlyn continued her lecture.

"My grandfather, Thornton, became known as 'Lionheart' amongst the Navy," Will opened his mouth in a query. "I'll explain. He escaped being captured by Officers for years and years and was a man of mercy. Fun fact! My grandfather had never personally killed a man."

"_Never?_"

"Never. This gained my grandfather some sort of branch of respect between him and the Royal Navy. He retired and did some illegal trading for the time being until a Spanish pirate hunter vowed to kill every pirate. My grandfather came out of retirement to fight alongside his pirate brothers. Unfortunately, he didn't survive, but he earned himself a respectful quick death from the hunter himself."

Ashlyn paused in her speech. Her hand raised to scratch her neck before she continued less enthusiastically; a saddened look in her eyes.

"He raised me after his son, my father, along with when my mother died. Killed by Admiral Norrington, actually. Your Commodore's father. My hatred for Naval men stemmed from their deaths, and my grandfather tried to teach me honor and fairness, but it didn't last long. And after years of mistake after mistake after mistake, I became. . . became a monster. _That_ was until Jack and I reunited after a decade from pure luck."

A silence wove into the room for a few moments until Will's seat creaked. He stood from the bed and held his hand out to the defeated looking Ashlyn. Her head raised up at the sight of his hand, confused. Reaffirmed with a soft smile from Will, she hesitantly grabbed onto his forearm and pulled herself up.

"No matter what you've done, you're not some monster. You'll learn from your mistakes and grow to be a better person," Will stated.

Ashlyn's breathing became heavy as she tensed her jaw, unconsciously tightening her grip on the young man's arm. Her eyes remained on their hold.

"You barely know me, dear William. You know not of what I have done."

"I have faith in your person."

"It is a misjudged faith," Ashlyn stated defiantly as her eyes contacted his.

Ashlyn released her hand and stepped away from Turner, beginning to walk out of the room.

She paused at the doorway and gave Will a side-glance and spoke softly before she left the lad to think by himself.

"You seem an honorable and honest young man, William Turner, I can tell. Here's a tip; don't let that honor and honesty blind you. They may get a man respected, but it also gets a man killed. Sometimes, it's best to fight dirty in order to live another day."


	7. Chapter 6

**A/N: I do not own any characters, plot lines, or any other details that are apart of this narrative -that all belongs to the childhood castle that is Disney and the creators behind the Pirates of the Caribbean series. I only own my character/s and their actions into the story. Thank you!**

* * *

**THE LEGACY OF A PIRATE**

_CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL_

_Chapter 6_

'_I Know A Guy'_

**Tortue Island, Haiti**

**Canal de la Tortue**

**1728**

** Seeing **as the _Interceptor_ was one of the Navy's fastest vessels, Ashlyn was happy to see dusk approaching as they arrived at Tortuga. If they were to have taken the _Dauntless,_ they'd be arriving to the pirate port in the dead of night.

The Naval ship was anchored and the trio rowed to the docks. Ashlyn was already grimacing as the smell of rum and gunpowder were strong even from the shore. The noise of yelling pirates, prostitutes, and guns being shot could be heard as well. She profoundly preferred arriving at this port at dawn and leave by dusk. Her usual hours in the wretched place. The number of drunkards then was still quite high, but the majority were members of a crew. Captains and first mates would be dealing with business, as well as their selected sailors.

At night, however, those crewmates, first-mates, and captains would be drunk in every sense of the word.

Like now.

Will paced close behind the two pirates. Jack was nearly skipping through the swarms of men and women with a dumb grin on his face. Meanwhile, Ashlyn's rigid posture and glaring eyes showed just how desperate her desire to get back onto the ship.

Turner jogged up next to Ashlyn. He checked to make sure Jack wasn't paying attention before conversing, as whispering would be no good in a place like this.

"I can see why you hate it."

Ashlyn nodded her head and gave another gander at all the criminals depleting their ammo, losing their wits, and wasting their -most likely- stolen gold on women rather than necessary equipment.

"Yes," she stated rather unamused at the same spectacles before her at every corner. "Such a place poisons any man who has the smallest of troubles and here only worsens them. You see that man right there?" She pointed at a sloppy-clothed middle-aged man with his arms over two strumpets' shoulders as they aide the stumbling man with downing a jug of malt.

His greying goatee was soaked with rum and his previously formal attire was covered in mud and was -in lack of a better term- disorganized.

Will grimaced as Ashlyn continued.

"That man there used to be the first-mate of Captain Bartholomew. You know him as 'Black Bart.' Well, now that man is Captain since Bart's death. And he owes me a pound of shillings."

"Why?"

"I beat him in Liar's Dice the other day," Ashlyn smiled. She put her fingers together over her mouth and gave a loud whistling chirp.

The man spontaneously froze in his spot and choked on the ale being poured down his mouth. He swung his arms around like a madman. The two prostitutes, who sobered up at his actions, lost their interest and moved on to the next drunk walking pass. He looked around pathetically in a circle, scanning the people around him until he recognized Ashlyn's scowl. It took a few moments before the man decided to run.

Unluckily for him, he ran straight into a stone wall and was knocked motionless.

Will turned to Ashlyn as she casually spun to face him, looking quite unimpressed with the man's actions.

"Believe it or not, this is not the first time this has happened," she clicked her tongue before adding on. "This is why I prefer the former Captain. A respectable man who drank tea and held decent conversations, unlike that buffoon. That, and Bart bet _for_ me."

Ashlyn strolled toward the unconscious Captain, avoiding random gunshots and staggering pirates with practice as she patted down the man and searched for a shilling pouch of some sort.

A beaming Jack suddenly stood with Will as they both watched Ashlyn ransack the collapsed pirate. Jack placed his arm over Will's shoulder.

"He must've owed her money," Jack informed.

Will faced the pirate and removed the arm over him with a pointed brow. "Liar's Dice."

Jack leaned his head back in understanding. "She's quite good," he enlightened the blacksmith. "That's what makes it such a shame when they bet against her. Very fun to watch, especially those who don't know it's a Hancock they're wagering over. Their faces," Jack pulled an over exaggerated face imitating one realizing a mistake they made and chuckled right after. Will's neutral expression caused Jack to straighten up. "I guess you just have to be there."

Ashlyn took her time to walk back and dangled a decently sized pouch out for the two to look at; the clink of coins inside apparent. She promptly tied the small bag to her belt and covered it with her coat, a sardonic smirk on her lips when making eye-contact with Jack.

"You get all your twenty shillings?" Will asked.

She smiled. "And an interest in pence for an attempted escape."

"Don't really need it, luv," Jack commented, sounding more of a suggestion than an actual statement. "You, the richest pirate on this island because of yer family and connections, could _buy_ Tortuga." Jack eyes lit up at his previous thoughtless words, "_And that is a great idea!"_

"_Never!" _Ashlyn retorted immediately at the poor proposal of Sparrow's. "Tortue Island may be highly profitable, but there are many problems that come with it. Even the bloody gov'ner succumbed to the drink after four months of being appointed to this place; _four months!"_

Defeated, Jack led the way and traveled through an alley that was mostly filled with men and women making out. At least they had the decency to be up against the walls rather than directly on the trail. Ashlyn hung back and -as strange as it sounded- studied each man she passed by to check if they were one to be in debt to the Hancock. Observing that none were, Ashlyn reconnected her awareness of Jack's and Will's conversation.

"More importantly, it is indeed a sad life that has never breathed deep the sweet proliferous bouquet that is Tortuga, savvy?" Jack told Will as two men fighting walked by. Jack grabbed the cane off one who was about to use it against the other. "What do you think?" Sparrow excitedly asked.

Will studied the people beside him. A prostitute sat on two rum barrels as she drank her rum bottle. Her breasts almost protruding fully out of her tightly knotted corset. An alcoholic-soaked man continued to drink from both mugs in his hands just under her as the barrels were leaking onto him.

He'd be smelling like rum for days.

"It'll linger," Will responded.

Ashlyn got a good look at the man's face and smirked as she recognized him as someone who gambled against her.

"Jimmie-boy! What luck!" Ashlyn exclaimed as she knelt beside him. The extremely drunk man smiled innocently to the woman upon hearing his name. Ashlyn returned a grin as his dropped, for even in his drunken stupor, he recognized the female pirate. "You have my twenty?"

He nodded overzealously.

Ashlyn raised a critical brow.

He shook his head.

"Patty, dear," Ashlyn fixed her gaze on the wench drinking atop the barrels, unworried about Jimmie-boy doing his best to stand as she simply grabbed his leg, causing him to trip and fall.

The plump Irish strumpet smiled respectively at the fellow female in surprise. "Miss Hancock! Weren't 'pecting ya' so soon! Ot'er business?"

"Aye. Do me a favor and ensure that Jimmie-boy does his best to be at least somewhat sober tomorrow morning. I'll pay you half of the debt he owes me if you do. That's half a pound in your personal pocket, darling. None of which will go to Madame Ruth."

Patty gave a full smile, exposing her off-white teeth and the gap between her two fronts. She hopped off the barrels with a slight stumble and dragged Jimmie-boy by his legs off to the closest inn.

"A doll, ya' are, Miss Hancock! A doll!" She called back with a giggle.

Ashlyn stepped beside Will as a blonde prostitute, Giselle, slapped Jack in the face. Ashlyn let out a cackle at the sight.

"I may have deserved that," Jack declared to Will.

Will glanced at Ashlyn and informed her of the other slap received a few seconds earlier by a redhead named Scarlett. She let out a sound of comprehension and explained to Will the situation back on Shipwreck Island of Jack proposing to both women and them finding out because their rings were identical. Something Jack informed on the boat trip to Port Royal.

What luck for Jack to find the two of them in Tortuga.

"We should escape this wretched pit as quickly as possible," Jack offered. An evident change in his demeanor caused Ashlyn to potentially start to like Tortuga, with some exceptions.

"I thought this was a 'sweet proliferous bouquet,'" Will retorted, causing Jack to grumble and Ashlyn to clap Will's back as she let out a laugh. "With a crew, yes?" Turner asked, responding back to Jack's statement.

"Ah, yes," Jack responded, suddenly remembering the situation as to why Will was with them in the first place. He began leading the two to a building. "Well it just so happens; you know the person who knows the person who knows the finest sailors in all of Tortuga."

"Miss Ashlyn?"

An offended Jack spun to face the smiling Will. He put his hands up and made some gestures before pointing at himself.

"I'm speaking of me, young William. _Ashlyn_ knows Captains and Pirate Lords; I more know _people."_

Ashlyn scuffed at Jack, "You know plenty of Lords, Jacky!"

"And I'm all in debt to them as they are your family, and they do not like me as they like you, _hence _you know the Lords," Sparrow countered. Ashlyn rolled her eyes as his words held truth. The pirates continued their walk before Will could ask about the 'Pirate Lords.'

When just about to enter into an abandoned barn, Sparrow threw the cane back to Ashlyn, who caught it and handed it to Will, who passed it along to a man who then used it to knock out another before he made his move onto the prostitute the unconscious man was previously with.

Tortuga was truly something else.

Turner winced at the smell wafting in the room as he entered. Straight rum and pig manure tinged at Will's nose. Ashlyn checked to see if the lad was alright before stepping in front of the dozed man in front of the trio. She found it considerably sad just how used to the pirates were to the odor.

Sparrow took one sight at Gibbs inclined upon a hog with two others beside it, before moving to the water pump and began filling two buckets of water. After doing so, Jack passed one to Will as the three approached the sleeping man. Ashlyn's face scrunched when recognizing what Jack was about to do.

"Isn't there a superstition about showing a leg?" Ashlyn muttered to Jack in reminding just as he was about to dump the water on Gibbs. Jack gave her a confused look since the woman usually wouldn't care toward such menial theories. "Well, I mean. You woke me up the same way you're going to with Joshamee, here. Last time, we got arrested. Maybe the superstitions aren't _all _fabricated."

Sparrow thought for a second to her sarcasm, "I'll counter it," he reaffirmed as he flung the water onto the slumbering man.

Gibbs made a noise of surprise. The three pigs behind him squealing. Gibbs held out the knife that was in his hand.

"_Curse ya for breathing, ya slack-jawed idiot!_" He yelled before settling his eyes on the two sea thieves and Will. He pocketed the knife. "Mother's love! Ashlyn! Jack! You should know better than to wake a man when he's sleeping. _S'bad luck_."

Ashlyn jabbed her elbow into Jack's side as he glared at her.

"Ah, fortunately, I know how to counter it," Jack placed the empty bucket to the side as he knelt in front of Gibbs. "The man who did the waking buys the man who was sleeping a drink. The man who was sleeping drinks while listening to a proposition from the man who did the waking."

Gibbs' squinted his eyes in confusion.

"Just agree, and we'll get you out of this Hell hole and into a tavern," Ashlyn vocalized stoically with her arms crossed.

"Aye, that'll about do it," Gibbs smiled as he reached his hand for Jack to grab and pulled him up.

Once standing, Will splashed the second bucket onto him. The three looked at the young lad in bafflement as Gibbs went off toward Will.

"_Blast! I'm already awake!_"

"That was for the smell," Turner countered. No one retaliated back as they all, including Gibbs, could agree the odor was considerably repugnant.

"Twas a bad smell," Ashlyn commented.

The four traveled to the tavern next door, _The Faithful Bride_, much to Ashlyn's protests. This particular tavern was by far the most popular one in all of Tortuga as it was the center of all prostitution business next to the inn. It was currently overlooked by none other than Madame Claire de la Ruth, a headstrong lady whose only goal is to retire back to France.

In reality, Madame Ruth could have already retired with coins to spare, but the business needed someone to run it once she was gone and no one was worthy of the spot yet, or so she says.

Personally, Ashlyn thinks the lady has grown fond over her girls and over Tortuga (Ashlyn can't see how) and doesn't really want to leave it behind. No matter though, no one will be hearing those words coming from anyone's mouth unless one wished to receive a stern talking too from the Madame.

That old lady can make a God cower and make the bravest of heroes spoil their trousers.

Ashlyn led Gibbs and Will over to a table, Gibbs taking a seat as Will leaned against a nearby beam. Jack ordered two mugs of rum and walked back to their table. Similar to Ashlyn, Will noticed, Jack casually strolled past drunks reaching for refills and people chasing after one another with ease. Jack turned to Will as he eyed the fellow thieves inside.

"Keep a sharp eye." Will -confused, though heeding the pirate's advise as Jack knew the place better than him- watched customers drink, flirt (terribly), and brawl. "And don't do anything to anger the Madame," Jack added.

"The Madame?" Will questioned.

"Old plump lady with the face of a growling dog. Mean and vicious, she is. Love to see her face when I finally get one over her-" Jack detailed before being interrupted by a clearing throat behind him. Jack visibly jumped and let out a squeak at the sight of the small grey-haired woman next to a snobbish-smirking Ashlyn. He put a smile on his face, his gold teeth showing as he waved his arms high in the air.

"Ruthie, luv!"

"Madame Ruth to you, you blabbering bird," she spoke with a heavy French accent as her eyes squinted at the male pirate before her. She jabbed a delicate finger at Jack's chest. He took a few steps back and held the hand holding the rum out as to save them from spilling from Madame Ruth's wrath. "You try anything again with my girls, I'll chop your head off the way we do it in France! You should be more respectful, one bad move and I'll end whoring in Tortuga _and _Shipwreck Island with a snap of my fingers, bird, _a snap!_"

"Yeah, _bird_, be more respectful," Ashlyn repeated, her grin still annoying to Jack.

Madame Ruth turned to Ashlyn quicker than any gunshot. "You, _Hancock_," she pointed a finger toward the paling pirate as Jack now wore the smirk; Will having bared one since Jack's squeal.

The Madame abruptly dropped her snarl as it rotated into a full smile as she opened her arms for a hug. Before Ashlyn could deny her, she was lifted into the air, a good few inches up, by the shorter woman. Her lungs and ribs were crushed by the force before she let go. "You should visit more, dear girl. I wanna see those beautiful ocean eyes of yours that you share with Thorny."

Ruth grabbed Ashlyn's face and brought it down to her eye level as she squished and pinched her cheeks. Jack gave a laugh behind them as Will looked away to hide his amusement.

"Oh, your grandfather was _such a man_," Madame Ruth shivered as she began to rant. "He was the only one who I have ever allowed to have free drinks in my entire long life, did you know that? Maybe I'll consider doing that again just for you, Miss Royalty."

"_Really?_" Ashlyn managed to squeeze out.

Tortuga was starting to get better.

"Of course, lovely. I just need half of what you promised Patty," she grinned all-knowing.

"How did y-"

"I know everything about my girls, darling, I think you would know that by now," She dropped her hands away from Ashlyn's reddened cheeks and held one out expectantly.

"I don't have Jimmie's coin yet," Ashlyn challenged.

The Madame raised a brow, "You certainly have someone's."

Ashlyn sighed, unwilling to continue the fight she knew she won't win and dropped five shillings into the Madame's palm.

"Know no shame, darling. You don't even need any more money than what you have because of your parents. You could practically buy this godforsaken land!"

"_That's what I said!"_

"_Shut it, bird!"_

Ruth smiled as she refaced the pirate woman and patted Ashlyn's cheeks. "You remember my rules, dearie?"

"One cup of any size with liquor poured in must be empty before grabbing another," Ashlyn recited with a bored tone before pepping up when gazing at Jack. "And_ never _two at once."

Madame turned to see where Ashlyn's gaze was set on before noticing the two mugs in Jack's hands and frowning at the sight.

"One's for Mister Gibbs!" Jack quickly defended himself as he gestured the mugs at Gibbs' direction. The man smiled and waved at Madame Ruth, who happily grinned in response.

"I'm letting it go now, bird boy, for Joshamee's sake," she turned toward said sailor. "You need anything, babes, you ask, and I _will_ provide." Madame Ruth nodded her goodbye before leaving the group and going off to yell at a drunk pirate mistreating one of her girls. French cusses spewing from her red lips.

Will smiled at Jack, "I think I see it now, _bird boy_. Such a mean and _vicious_ old dog Madame Ruth is," Turner sarcastically spoke as Jack rolled his eyes before sitting across from Gibbs as Ashlyn took up the mantle beside Will against the pole.

The blacksmith set his sights back on the customers of the_ Bride_ and froze as Madame Ruth was looking right at him. Her light green eyes giving a playful look and her wrinkles crinkled in amusement as she winked at the lad.

Will replied with an awkward smile.

"Don't look at her for too long, laddie," Ashlyn piped up beside him when successfully gaining his attention. "She'll spank you like a babe and then use you as a toothpick like she did with the other young men, the old hag."

Turner nodded, feeling more uncomfortable as the blushing lad looked anywhere but at the laughing Madame Ruth.

Ashlyn turned herself toward the table Gibbs occupied to hear better.

* * *

**A/N: Thank you readers! For those who have left comments, you have made me incredibly happy! I never knew how much a simple comment could actually excite me, but they really do. I really do appreciate any review of any part or even suggestions of change. You know facts about this time period that I put in wrong? Tell me and I will implement them in when I can. Thanks again, love you all!**


	8. Chapter 7

**A/N: I do not own any characters, plot lines, or any other details that are apart of this narrative -that all belongs to the childhood castle that is Disney and the creators behind the Pirates of the Caribbean series. I only own my character/s and their actions into the story. Thank you!**

* * *

**THE LEGACY OF A PIRATE**

_CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL_

_Chapter 7_

'_A Drunk Hancock Is A Gambling Hancock And A Gambling Hancock Is A Rich Hancock'_

**Tortuga Pirate Port**

_**The Faithful Bride**_** Tavern**

**1728**

**Sparrow** moved the mugs teasingly around -just out of reach of the greedy hands that are Gibbs'- before handing him the smaller cup of rum as the two took a long sip. Jack held a finger up to his old friend.

"Just the one," he warned.

Gibbs smiled understandably.

"Best make it last then, uh," he stated before the two gulped down the strong liquor with a satisfied sigh.

Ashlyn grimaced at the sight of the two chugging the vile drink.

The table that Gibbs choose was near the back of the establishment, a fair distance away from the loud brawling customers. It was a common area for people who conversed over business; well-lit as well as to easily exploit identities that wanted to be kept secret away from the Madame; not that it ever worked.

"Now, what's the nature of this venture of yourn?" Gibbs asked right as he took a sip.

"We're going after the Black Pearl," Ashlyn spoke.

Gibbs choked on his drink. He pounded on his chest and was able to swallow the mug's contents; he'd be only receiving one free drink.

"I know where it's going to be, and I'm gonna take it," Jack stated with full confidence.

The man across shook his head in disbelief, "Jack, it's a fool's errand. You know better than me the tales of the Black Pearl."

A fighting lot punching at one another landed behind Jack. Ashlyn quickly grabbed the two's collar and pushed them away from the conversing pirates. It wasn't likely that they'd be listening in, but Ashlyn wasn't going to chance it. If word got out that Hancock was working with Sparrow to take the _Pearl_, people would certainly go after.

"That's why I know what Barbossa is up to. All I need is a crew," Jack suggested.

"From what I hear tale of Captain Barbossa, he's not a man to suffer fools, _nor strike a bargain with one_."

Jack smirked as he defended himself to Mister Gibbs.

"Well then, I'd say it's a very good thing I'm not a fool then, aye?"

"_Prove me wrong. _What makes you think Barbossa will give up his ship to you?"

Sparrow whimsically moved his head around. The female pirate rolled her eyes at his dramatics as she returned to her spot by Will.

"Let's just say it's a matter of _leverage_, hmph?"

Ashlyn raised a brow at the words, unaware of Will hearing them and having turned his head to glance at the man who possibly referred to him.

"What bloody leverage?" Ashlyn whispered to herself. Will internally gave a sigh of relief at her confusion. As she was the tolerable one of the pirate duo, he was glad to hear that Hancock was unaware of Jack's full plan. Will wasn't sure which one of them was the leverage, but he assumed that Ashlyn was -she is an infamous Hancock.

Ashlyn stepped away from the beam pole and walked to the bar to get a drink. Rum wasn't her favorite liquor to get drunk off of; a lightly aged liquor with a strong smell that consumed the island, but it's what they served in the pirate port. And it'll get her buzzed fast enough to endure staying a night in the hell hole that is Tortuga.

In the meantime, Jack moved his head around in order to silently gesture to Gibbs on who that leverage was about. Gibbs shook his head as he didn't follow the man.

"Ashlyn?" He guessed, and Jack shut his eyes, trying to figure out how to make it clearer. He gestured once again with more emphasis this time. Gibbs turned his head to see Will uncomfortably try to avoid a laughing drunk prostitute leaning on him.

Fortunately for Will, Ashlyn arrived back and shooed off said prostitute whose name was Marie. She quickly gained a drunk suitor afterward who glared at Will. Hancock downed the remains of rum from her dram before gagging at the taste.

"I want wine," she complained with a curled lip as if she was just a child.

Will smirked curiously. "Then why order rum?"

Another prostitute; Liv, if Ashlyn remembered correctly, had one strap of her dress down her shoulder to appeal more than the other strumpets around her. She leaned against Will as he made a desperate look toward Ashlyn for help. The Hancock only smiled at his despair and downed the other shot in her hand, slowly losing the urge to spit it all back out as the two small drinks got the woman feeling looser already.

Soon a buzzed Ashlyn would be participating in gambling games for sure.

"It's free of charge. Might as well put good use to it."

A woman server holding a tray of dram shots passed by the two and Ashlyn made sure to replace her two empty wooden cups with filled ones. Downing one, she held out the other to Will as he raised a hand in denial.

"Oh, dear William. We be staying a night in Tortuga. A drink is necessary to survive among the hoard of drunkards."

Will, though truly reluctant, grabbed the dram and studied the drink; wincing at the strong smell. After a persuasive look from Hancock, Will sipped the rum only to spit it out on the ground.

"That's disgusting!" He complained as Ashlyn laughed.

"I know!" Ashlyn bubbly laughed, a strange sight to Will. "It's horrid. S'not diluted at all, but ya _gotta _down it to get through tonight. I swear, s'better in one go."

With an encouraging nod from Ashlyn, Will glowered as he finished off the dram as she gave a small cheer. He placed the empty cup on another passing by waitress.

They two turned at the sound of Jack and Gibbs clanking their mugs together congratulatory and slamming them onto the table once finishing them.

Will must have misheard the sound as he drew out his sword and pushed an empty table to its side, crashing all the mugs and dishes onto the floor. He threatened all who came close with his weapon. The music paused, and everyone switched their attention to the lad.

"_Out!_" Came a cry from the other room. All customers and workers looked to see the Madame with her hands on her hips. Her face was stern as she gave the order once more and pointed to where the door was located.

Gibbs turned to Jack.

"Kid's a bit of a stick, ain't he?"

Jack, not even sparing a glance away from Will, replied speedily. "You've no idea."

A chuckling Ashlyn put a hand on Will's shoulder as he sheathed his sword. His cheeks were a dark pink, an indicator to heavy embarrassment. The woman pirate looked back at her two friends and called them to follow as they'll just relocate to the _King's Arm_ tavern. The patrons of the _Faithful Bride_ instantly went back to usual, as if Will's interruption had never happened; not that they'd remember the little incident.

"McVane will certainly have a spot open for us in the Poker and Blackjack tables," Ashlyn yelled toward the sitting pirates.

Gibbs and Jack looked at each other with a smile. They very well knew that an Ashlyn who has been drinking will win almost every gambling game there is. Sober; however, she's quite shoddy; always overthinking the rules and doubting her hand. Quite the phenomenon, in Jack's opinion.

* * *

**Docks of Tortuga Pirate Port**

* * *

"Feast your eyes, Cap'n!" Gibbs shouted excitedly. An adventure awaited them, and Gibbs was as cheerful as ever to be back on the water after a good night of drinking, gambling, and recruiting.

A disgruntled noise from Ashlyn grabbed Jack and Will's attention. The Hancock sat at the end of the dock against a pile of crates filled with foods such as hardtack, dried beans, and sea biscuits.

Her hair was tied up and an utter mess, as was her attire. Ashlyn's entire self-smelt of rum. She covered her eyes from the beaming sun. The hangover she was experiencing was the worst Jack had ever seen her in; she puked her guts out three times since she woke up a few hours ago. Jack had no doubt in his mind that the pounding in her head was worse than the pain in her back. She always did have severe pain in her back when hungover. No matter, the sight of Ashlyn's self-inflicted pain was certainly entertaining for Jack.

Unlike her, his hangover was near nonexistent as he practically is always in a buzzed state. After a few years, he's grown basically immune. Will wasn't hungover at all; the lad drank barely anything, and it was the sleep that took care of the rest. During the night, Turner was the only sober man watching the gambling, making sure to take note of who owed Jack and Hancock money per Gibbs' request. Some of the men in line were owing their deal toward the pirates, others paid.

With Hancock's current state, she wouldn't be able to go around Tortuga and find all those who had to cough up their shillings. Hence why Turner accompanied Gibbs in the early morning to find those men, Jimmie-boy as well. And cough up their shillings they did.

"_Please_ be quieter," Ashlyn whispered as she held her head and rubbed her temples. She regretted all the drinks she had. The money she won was close to equaling out that ringing in her ears. She shifted her body to ease the tension in her back, wincing as she put pressure on the graze.

Gibbs turned to Jack for instructions. The pirate, unbothered by Ashlyn's plead, waved the empty hand for Gibbs to continue as the other held a plantain he was saving for the woman when she was ready.

"All of them faithful hands before the mast," Gibbs resumed with a slightly softer voice to please the woman. He, Jack, and Will walked down the line of men Gibbs was able to persuade into a crew. "Every man worth his salt." They paused at the glaring bald dwarf. "And crazy to boot."

"So, this is your able-bodied crew?" Will asked as he looked at the recruits. They weren't precisely the sailing men that Will was used too back in Port Royal. They were mostly old and scrappy looking; most likely they had nothing to lose except their lives.

Jack didn't answer the young man as they recommence their walk past the line. Jack stopped before one recruit. An older man that's been a pirate for some time with a grey-white beard, a bandana on his head and one around his neck. What was intriguing of him was the bird on his shoulder.

"You sailor!" Jack purposely yelled loudly in order to hear Ashlyn groan; smirking when she did.

"Cotton, sir," Gibbs introduced.

"Mister Cotton, do you have the courage and fortitude to follow orders and stay true in the face of danger or almost certain death?"

The man only glanced at Gibbs.

"Mister Cotton! Answer, man," Jack demanded as he stepped closer in intimidation toward the

elderly man. Jack only heard the pained moan from Ashlyn.

Gibbs leaned toward Jack, "He's a mute, sir. Poor devil had his tongue cut out, so he trained the parrot to talk for him."

The man in question opened his mouth widely to show them the cut muscle Gibbs spoke about. Right cut in half, it was. Will retracted slightly and raised a brow at the sight as Jack pulled back as well and flicked his own tongue in disgust.

"No one's yet figured how," Gibbs wondered out loud.

Sparrow went to walk forward before turning toward the macaw.

"Mister Cotton's. . . parrot," he addressed. "Same question."

"_Wind in the sails! Wind in the sails!_" It squawked. Will's face turned to one of awe as the bird answered.

"It's so cute!"

The three men jumped at Ashlyn's unexpected appearance behind them as she smiled at the bird. Her hangover still affected her, but the macaw was a good distraction for the time being. She squeezed herself between Jack and Gibbs to get a closer look at the macaw and curled a finger to pet the feathered creature's chest.

"Mostly we figure that means 'yes,'" Gibbs told his Captain as they all watched the fearsome female pirate fawn over the macaw.

Ashlyn let out a childish squeal when the bird allowed her to pet him; his owner letting out a smile as he shifted his shoulder so the bird could step onto her own.

"Of course it does," Jack spoke with confidence.

Ashlyn stepped back from the man as she continued petting the macaw that stood on her shoulder.

"Were you a victim of Mungard?" She asked Mr. Cotton.

The two pirates and Will faced Ashlyn at the random question. The man in question nodded his head speedily.

"May I see?" She returned the enthusiasm.

Cotton nodded his head as he reopened his mouth for Ashlyn to look. Jack scrunched his face at the clear excitement Hancock was holding back as she examined the cut tongue with curious eyes.

"Mungard always had a way with that knife of is," she commented off the top of her head to nobody. "He always bragged about it but I was never able to actually see his work until today."

Jack tilted his head at the name. "Wasn't he Keeper?"

The woman backed away from Cotton as he closed his mouth when she turned to address Jack.

"For some time until he shot the bloody book. If I remember correctly, he was returned the favor."

Jack nodded at her words and turned to Turner.

"Satisfied?"

"Well, you've proved they're mad," Will responded quietly as to not arouse anger from the recruited crew.

"And what's the benefit for us?" Someone yelled from the end of the line.

A woman's voice, one that wasn't Ashlyn's as hers was lighter and had an airy sounding tone to it; one that got away with sounding like an innocent aristocrat being captured. This voice was grounded and had seen more sickening coughs than on average. A voice that Ashlyn easily identified as she handed the bird back to its owner.

The four slowly approached where the voice had called from, noticing one person lined up with their hat covering the entirety of their face. Jack had an idea as to who it was, and if he guessed from Ashlyn's smile, he would be assuming correctly. And if so. . .

Jack lifted the hat off to see the face of none other than Anamaria's glaring one.

"Anamaria," Jack stated with a reluctant smile only to be swatted in the face. Ashlyn gave a loud laugh, instantly regretting her actions as she winced in pain.

Will leaned down slightly to be eye view to Jack. "I suppose you didn't deserve that one either?" He remarked.

"No, that one I deserved," he responded to the lad as Anamaria nodded angrily behind him.

Ashlyn opened her arms once her head was fine and smiled at her friend. The woman turned to glare at her too, causing Ashlyn's arms to fall.

"You're not off the hook, Hancock," Anamaria looked back and forth from the two. "You two stole my _boat!_"

"Actually-" Jack started before he was once again slapped in the face. "_Borrowed! _Borrowed without permission." Jack stepped away from the woman as he continued. "But with every intention of bringing it back to you."

"_But_ you _didn't!_" Anamaria yelled. Ashlyn whimpered at the shout so close by and had to take a step back from the entertaining yet hurting commotion.

"You'll get another one," Jack stated in a high-pitched tone.

Anamaria stuck a finger at him, accusatively, "I will."

"A better one," Will added with a smile, having grown fond of seeing the pirates shouted at and embarrassed.

Jack smiled enthusiastically as he repeated Will's words.

"That one!" Will leaned in once more and pointed at their current ship of use, the Interceptor.

Sparrow turned toward Will, confused, "What one?"

Will gestured toward the Interceptor, and everyone glanced at the ship. Ashlyn's head was beginning its hammering once again at the constant spinning to who's speaking what to look at. The furious and constant roaring in her head caused Ashlyn to stumble down to sit by the edge and focus on the water in front of her and not Jack's debate on giving the _Interceptor _to Anamaria. The noise of the sea hitting the dock and barnacles that resided there and the soft blowing winds calmed her head; save for the loud conversation still going on behind her.

"_That one?"_ Jack turned back at Will. He contemplated the idea before turning to the still-glaring woman.

"Aye, that one. What say you?" Jack bellowed to the crew. Anamaria dropped her hand from her chin in consideration to the offer.

"Aye!" She howled, the entire crew cheering loudly right after. The parrot even giving his squawked approval for Cotton.

Ashlyn put her hands back at her temples to massage them, internally feeling as if she was dying. _Death was preferable than this. _Such terrible and loud life pirates lived; even worse for those who can't hold their liquor in like herself.

"No, no, no, no," Gibbs walked to Jack as the crew walked toward the end of the dock where all the supplies Hancock's money was able to buy and waited to be loaded onto the Interceptor. "S'frightful bad luck to bring a woman aboard, sir."

"Joshamee," Ashlyn called from behind. The three men looked down at the sitting woman as she squinted her eyes up to them. "I'm the bloody reason why it's 'bad luck,'" she quoted her fingers, "to have women on board."

Jack and Will turned to Gibbs for his response.

"I believe that about cancels out, Mister Gibbs," Jack added as Will turned his head to think upon how that would work out.

"I don't see how that makes it any better," Gibbs stated with a raised brow.

Jack clapped his hands -Ashlyn flinched- before looking up into the sky and seeing the slowly approaching grey clouds, Will and Gibbs following suit. Sparrow turned back to where Ashlyn sat.

"Now, for you to regain the honor of creating such suspicions, a storm is nearing to which I'll be needing you, Miss Hancock, to be sober," Jack stated accordingly.

Ashlyn tilted her head at the clouds, internally predicting timewise of when it'll hit. "It's going to take some time for me to be in tip-top shape, Jacky."

"Not if I can help it," he smirked before raising a leg and quickly pushing a yelping Ashlyn into the water below with laugh.

Will ran to the dock's edge and held a handout for Ashlyn to take when she resurfaced. Gibbs doing the same right beside him.

"That'll sober you up!" Sparrow laughed.

The female pirate breached the surface with curses galore toward Jack; the amusement on her face, however, undermined her insults. The shivering woman grabbed onto both extended hands and was lifted out of the water and back onto the deck. Will stepped away to give her space; Gibbs, on the other hand, gripped onto Ashlyn's drenched shoulders.

"What?" Ashlyn asked the mutton-chopped man with a smirk on his face.

Gibbs only gave a little push and Ashlyn fell back into the water as the man let out a loud cackle. Jack, having watched the scene from a safe distance from the woman, laughed at her continued suffering. Even Turner and some of the crewmembers nearby were smiling.

Anamaria crossed her arms and glanced at Jack beside her. He caught her stare and pointed at her accusingly. "No," he stated to her, warning her off from attempting to bring some karma onto him.

"_Joshamee!"_ Ashlyn cried when breaching the water.

Gibbs slapped his knee as he howled, "That was for the smell!"


	9. Chapter 8

**A/N: I do not own any characters, plot lines, or any other details that are apart of this narrative -that all belongs to the childhood castle that is Disney and the creators behind the Pirates of the Caribbean series. I only own my character/s and their actions into the story. Thank you!**

* * *

**THE LEGACY OF A PIRATE**

_CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL_

_Chapter 8_

'_Every Pirate Is A Little Mad In The Head'_

**North West of Haiti, Carribean Sea**

_**83 Miles Out From Isla de Muerta**_

**1728**

**Long **stormy weather was difficult to sail through for any crew. Captains would drop the sails and do the best that they could to direct their way against the large waves, the harsh winds, the heavy downpour, and the occasional lightning strikes. Unfortunately for the crew of the commandeered _Interceptor_, Captain Jack Sparrow was no ordinary Captain to sail under.

Gibbs and Will were on the main deck securing the mast ropes that had loosened. A completely sober Ashlyn jumped back and forth from place to place to make sure everyone was doing their job correctly and helped when needed. Going as far as to grab hold of a man who was pulled into the air like a ragdoll as he held onto the lines. Saving him before he could be swallowed whole by the darkened waves. A lonesome death Ashlyn knew all too well.

A surge of salt water bashed into the vessel's side, knocking down Gibbs and Will onto the opposite end. Ashlyn rushed to their position and helped the two grab a hold of the rope before it left their reach.

"How can we sail to an island that nobody can find with a compass that doesn't work?!" Will yelled over the thunder and rain as they pulled down the line once back into their previous work spot.

"Aye, the compass doesn't point North, but we're not trying to find North, are we?!" Gibbs replied back with a smile on his face like some madman. "Ash! Take my spot!"

The woman quickly switched places with Gibbs as he stumbled up the stairs to speak with Jack.

Will turned to Hancock as they both fought against an oncoming charge from the sea. The pirate grabbed onto Turner as he slipped from a misstep, making sure to lock her arms around the wooden railing when getting a hold of the young lad.

"You pirates are mad!"

She laughed in response as she helped him up, resuming their holds on the lines.

"You're realizing that right now, dear William?!"

* * *

_**A Mile Out From Isla de Muerta**_

* * *

It was clear to the crew when they were near the Island of Death. The passage they sailed through contained many sunken ships, more under the water. The fog was dense around the island's outskirts and Jack did his best to avoid the unseeable obstacles in their way with his compass. The crew could feel the slight jolt of debris hitting the keel of the ship as they passed over. In response, they gathered on one side to view the wreckage of the passage.

"_Dead men tell no tales,"_ Cotton's parrot squawked on the railing.

"Puts a chill in the bones how many honest sailors have been claimed by this passage," Gibbs told the young blacksmith.

Ashlyn stood beside Jack at the wheel, smirking at his visible discomfort to Cotton's staring. Jack closed his compass and faked a smile at Ashlyn's amused one. His disappeared as the macaw flew onto Ashlyn's shoulder and gave a grimace at the bird receiving Hancock's affection.

Down on the deck, Gibbs left the rail to double-check the ropes, Will following behind.

"How is it that Jack came by that compass?" Will asked after glancing at the helm of the ship. Jack was putting his attention back onto the steering, a clear frown on his face. Ashlyn, in the meantime, was talking to the unresponsive parrot.

"Not a lot's known about Jack Sparrow, unlike Ash, before he showed up in Tortuga with a mind to go after the treasure of the Isla de Muerta," Gibbs informed as he moved to the main mast to take a sip from his flask. "That be before I met him, back when he was Captain of the Black Pearl."

Turner turned away from his gaze at Jack to Gibbs. "What? He failed to mention that."

Gibbs paused in his drinking, realizing his mistake as the Captain never told the lad. The older man stepped up behind Will to explain.

"Well, he plays things closer to the vest now. I'm sure even Ash doesn't know a few things. A hard-learned lesson it was. See, three days out in the venture, the first-mate comes to him and says everything's an equal share. That should mean the location of the treasure too. So, Jack gives up the bearings."

Will nodded along to the story as he watched Sparrow frown as Ashlyn excitably spoke to Cotton's bird. He turned to Gibbs when he continued the story.

"That night, there was a mutiny. They _marooned_ Jack on an island and left him to die, but not before he'd gone _mad _with the heat."

Turner sighed in realization and turned back to Gibbs.

"So that's the reason for all the-" Will gestured and expressed his imitation of Jack.

"Reason's got nothing to do with it," Gibbs responded sternly as he took a seat on a barrel, the lad followed suit. "Now Will, when a pirate's marooned, he's given a pistol with a single shot. _One shot. _Well, that won't do much good hunting or to be rescued. But after three weeks of a starving belly and thirst." Gibbs gestured a gun toward his head. "That pistol will start to look _real _friendly. But Jack, he escaped the island, and he still has that single shot. Oh, he won't use it though, save on one man. His mutinous first mate."

"Barbossa."

"Aye," Gibbs nodded. Internally congratulating his storytelling skills, never having lost them back in Tortuga due to a prolonged drunken stupor.

"How did Jack get off the island?"

Gibbs smiled, able to tell his favorite part. "Well, I'll tell ya. He waded out into the shallows. And he waited there three days and three nights till all manner of sea creatures came acclimated to his presence. And then on the fourth morning, he roped himself a couple of sea turtles, _lashed_ them together, and made a raft."

Will's face stayed neutral to Gibbs' enthused story.

"He roped a couple of sea turtles?"

"Aye, sea turtles."

"What did he use for rope?"

Gibbs opened his mouth to answer but couldn't remember. He turned at the sound of boots to see Jack and Ashlyn standing before them. The bird still perched on Ashlyn.

"Human hair," Jack explained. Gibbs smiled down and nodded toward Will at the answer. "From my back."

Ashlyn made a face at Jack. "That's disgusting."

Jack ignored her comment and turned to where the crew still resided. "Let go the anchor!" He ordered.

"Aye, Captain, aye!" They yelled altogether.

Jack turned to the sitting Will and Gibbs. "Young Mister Turner, I, and Ash are to go ashore."

At the information, Jack's first-mate stood and walked swiftly to catch up to the man who was already walking away. Turner followed loosely behind.

"Captain what if the worst should happen?"

Jack glanced at Gibbs and opened his mouth to answer, but was interrupted by Ashlyn, who leaned against the railing with her arms crossed and a stoic face on.

"You keep to the Code of course, Gibbs. You _always _keep to the Code."

"Aye, the Code," Gibbs nodded with a half-smile before walking off to hurry the crew, knowing what to do if a situation were to arise.

Will Turner stood just behind the three, a lost look on his face with the pirate talk, _not _knowing what to do.

The parrot on Ashlyn's shoulder gave a loud squawk as he stretched his wings. His little flutter whacked her in the face a few times before she leaned her head away, her hair now messed up from its small updo.

"_Jacky's an idiot,"_ He screeched. _"Jacky's an idiot!"_

The man in question dropped his jaw in astonishment the same time Hancock did so with a large smile.

"It worked!" she laughed.


	10. Chapter 9

**A/N: I do not own any characters, plot lines, or any other details that are apart of this narrative -that all belongs to the childhood castle that is Disney and the creators behind the Pirates of the Caribbean series. I only own my character/s and their actions into the story. Thank you!**

* * *

**THE LEGACY OF A PIRATE**

_CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL_

_Chapter 9_

'_You're Dead! I'm Dead! We're All Dead!'_

**Isla de Muerta**

**Off The Coast Of The Caverns**

**1728 **

**What** do you get when you double cross Captain Jack Sparrow and kidnap a blacksmith's lass? A bullet, just for Captain Barbossa.

The trio waded out on a single rowboat, a way away from the _Interceptor_ and some distance from the island's only entrance to the caverns. Jack used his telescope to view the on goings onboard the _Black Pearl_, per Will's request upon seeing the large ship when passing by.

Turner leaned close to Jack in hopes to see the deck better while Ashlyn took control of the oars and made sure the boat didn't float away.

"Is she there?"

Jack placed the scope by his side, unexpectedly disappointed with the outcome.

"No."

Turner immediately faced Jack with a look of concern.

"Where is she?"

"It's begun," Sparrow informed as he closed the scope.

"What's begun, Jacky?" Ashlyn asked with a raised brow.

Over the journey to the mysterious island, Hancock tried to dig information out from Jack about the curse. He proved unwavering, however. If Ashlyn was being completely honest to herself, there was no _real _conversation between one another. Only childish banter like back in the good ol' days. Jack didn't talk about his mistake in trusting Barbossa, no matter how many times she asks. He goes especially quiet or changes the subject immediately whenever Ashlyn brings up the situation with the _Wench_-turned-_Pearl_.

Then again, Hancock didn't bring up her life from the past twelve years either. Jack, like the rest of the pirate world, had believed her to be dead until she showed up -alive- on her lonesome in Tortuga. Gambling and completely wasted as if the years between never happened. Anytime Sparrow interrogated her he received vague answers before she walked away.

They weren't the same people they were twelve years ago.

"You'll know it when we get there," Jack said confidently.

* * *

**Sea Caves of Isla de Muerta**

* * *

Will was in charge of holding the lamp while Jack rowed through the dark caves. Ashlyn took it upon herself to study what she could see from where she sat at the rear; having never been here before. Ashlyn could feel the tension in the air as the three stayed silent. The sounds of oars gently pushing water and drips from the overhead stalactites were the only thing that could be heard.

Jack was minutes away from getting revenge on Barbossa and Will was close to save his dear Elizabeth. Ashlyn, on the other hand, was prepared for a good fight against skeleton pirates. Her hand was at the ready on her cutlass, the other on a pistol.

A crab to their starboard side caught Will's eye as he aimed the lantern toward it. The skeleton that laid close by was revealed and spooked the lad. A rusted cutlass standing proud in the skeleton's back.

"What code is Gibbs to keep to if the worst should happen?" Will asked as he turned his head to look at the pirates.

"Pirate's code," Jack informed. "Any man who falls behind. . . is left behind."

"No heroes amongst thieves then."

The two pirates rolled their eyes at the comment. Death was certain in this life. It was best to live the longest while one could. All pirates understood that, and all pirates obeyed that.

"You know, for having such a bleak outlook on pirates, you're well on your way to becoming one," Jack snapped back.

"Sprung two pirates from jail," Ashlyn spoke up as she began to list.

"Commandeered a ship of the fleet," Jack added on.

"Sailed with a pirate crew out of Tortuga of all places," Hancock continued.

Jack turned to see where the light ahead was coming from to see young Turner gazing at the gold coins that scattered the swallows in awe. The blacksmith had never been so close to so many riches before. Just a handful of those coins could make the poorest of beggars feel like a king.

"And you're completely obsessed with treasure," Jack said with a small smile.

The boat hit the shore and the three got out to secure their only way of transportation. Will tugged on the rope to dock it as he defended himself from their accusations.

"That's not true. I am not obsessed with treasure."

Sparrow led the way into the caverns, no lantern with them as the light would give away their position. Hancock walked in the back. Jack turned the corner and climbed up the ledge that gave way up to see the cave's open middle. He turned back towards the lad and his old friend. Jack held out a hand for Ashlyn to take and helped her up the steep ledge, leaving Will to climb up by himself. He watched as Ashlyn rested against the damp rocks and curiously looked out at all the gold before her. A slight smirk grazed Jack's face.

"Not all treasure is silver and gold, mate."

"Gentlemen, the time has come!" yelled a voice.

Will leaned against the rocks on the other side of Hancock to see. The woman pirate placed her attention on the smiling pirate Captain who stood on top of the large hill of treasures. Beside him was Elizabeth Swann, dressed in a maroon dress and standing behind a closed chest. The enthused crew watched their Captain at the bottom of the gold.

"Our salvation is nigh!" Barbossa continued to excite his men. "Our torment is near an end!"

The crew cheered.

Will gazed longingly at the dirty blonde-haired woman. "Elizabeth," he breathed out.

Barbossa carried on his inspirational speech with a wave of his arms. "For ten years we've been tested and tried, and each man jack of you here has proven his mettle a hundred times over _and a hundred times again!"_

Ashlyn nudged Jack with her shoulder as she beamed at him.

"He's quite riveting, I must say. Gets involved in rousing the crew with ease with his own flair for dramatics. I see why they traded you in for him," she whispered.

Jack only rolled his eyes at her snark.

"Punished, we were, the lot of us. Disproportionate to our _crime_!"

Hancock leaned her head away from the opening, doing her best to cover her laughter as to not alert the undead crew in front of them. "And he's educated!" She added. "A pirate after my own heart."

Will raised a brow at her words but was relieved when Ashlyn shook her head.

"I thought you liked the good ol' Commodore," Jack grumbled.

She was quick to whack the backside of his head.

"Ow."

An echoing thud rang out throughout the caverns and Ashlyn was quick to regain seriousness as she looked back to Barbossa.

"The cursed treasure of Cortés himself."

Hancock's eyes gleamed in recognition of the stories. She turned to Jack with a displeased face. "Hernán bloody Cortés. Jacky, you know better than to go after his cursed gold!" She whispered vehemently and punched him in the shoulder.

"Why?!"

"Save for this," the undead Captain informed as he pointed at the coin that was around Elizabeth's neck.

The concerned lad beside the pirates moved forward as he spoke Jack's name. The two grabbed him before he could make their presence known, mistakenly knocking piles of coins down the ledge as they pulled him down.

"Not yet. We wait for the opportune moment. Ash," Jack turned to the woman. "Stay here, keep watch. You'll know when to start."

While Barbossa held everyone's attention, Jack ran down to where they entered. Hancock saw Turner turning to leave and went to grab him. Unfortunately, he was just out of reach. She lightly tapped her head against the rocks in defeat. She hoped Will didn't mess with whatever plan Jack was concocting in that dreadlocked head of his.

"And who amongst us has paid the blood sacrifice owed to the heathen gods?" Barbossa questioned the crew.

Ashlyn crawled up to watch the scene unfold. She focused on the kidnapped lass.

"Us!" The _Pearl's_ crew hollered.

"And whose blood must _yet_ be_ paid?!"_

"Hers!"

The female pirate could see the fear lace in the girl at the mention of the need for a blood sacrifice. Seeing just how willing these pirates were to undo their curse, no matter the cost, she too would be scared if their roles were reversed.

She somewhat felt bad for the defenseless girl. Miss Swann was the daughter of a wealthy man; she didn't know just how cruel life outside the manor was. A prim and proper girl like her would die in a matter of days outside her money and servants.

"You know the first thing I'm gonna do after the curse is lifted?" Barbossa smiled as his crew laughed.

"Probably buy some whores," Ashlyn whispered to herself; slightly disappointed when unable to hear if she was correct or not.

The man grabbed a knife from inside the chest after he forced Elizabeth to lean above the gold coins. The undead pirates began chanting.

"Begun by blood," Barbossa recited with an eagerly crazed look in his eyes. "By blood undone."

He ripped the necklace off Elizabeth's neck and grabbed her hand.

Although Elizabeth gasped in fright, Ashlyn let out a sigh of relief. She knew exactly what Barbossa was going to do and it wasn't going to kill the high-class girl -maybe offend her highness, but nothing to seriously worry about.

Captain Barbossa seemed to have more decency in him than what Jack ranted on about, though she knew it was a biased rant. The Captain of the _Pearl_ certainly had more etiquette than some of the men she's met in her lifetime.

Barbossa cut the girl's hand, squeezed her blood onto the coin, and dropped the bloodied gold right as the crew's quickened chant stopped abruptly. She could see Barbossa step away from the girl and close his eyes in wait.

Ashlyn leisurely unsheathed her sword. If anything, the opportune moment to attack would be now with all their eyes closed as the curse was broken. She eyed the walls, waiting for Jack or even Will to appear and give out a signal of some sort. Nothing.

"Did it work?" asked a familiar gruff voice. _Koehler. _

"I don't feel no different," stated a lean crewmember.

"How do we tell?"

Ashlyn had to duck and cover while placing a hand over her mouth to suffocate the laugh that came out when seeing Barbossa took out his pistol and shot the man. Being dramatic was an understatement when it came to pirate Captains. He could have very well just grabbed a hold on Elizabeth's hand to see if he could feel the coolness of Elizabeth's skin instead of killing a member of his crew.

This cave wasfreezing.

"You're not dead," Koehler observed out loud.

_Wait, what? _

Hancock raised her head to survey the scene. The man who was shot was, in fact, not dead. Or still undead? This curse was confusing.

"No," the bald man laughed in relief before pointing up at his Captain with a glare. "He shot me!"

"It didn't work," stated the taller pirate beside him pessimistically.

"The curse, it still upon us!" Yelled out Twigg.

Ashlyn shook her head at the pirate that highly annoyed her. The thought of retiring piracy to teach pirates of all ages how to properly read came to mind. As soon as it arrived, it vanished. No matter how aggravating her pet peeve was, it could never overtop the joy that filled her with a proper fight. A proper fight that appeared wasn't going to happen anytime soon.

The still undead pirate Captain observed the blood on the knife before turning toward Miss Swann.

"You, maid! Your father, what was his name?!" He grabbed the girl and shook her. "_Was your father William Turner?!_"

"No," she responded with a determined face that Ashlyn gave the girl credit for. Brave. _Dumb_, but brave.

Oh, but it all made _sense _now. Cortés' cursed treasure needed to be returned with the blood of those who took it. Bootstrap, Will's father, was once a member of Jack's crew in search for that cursed Aztec gold; later tossed into the sea to live a permanent harsh undead life. So, what's the closest way they can use to regain humanity? Bootstrap's son, the bloody blacksmith; Jack's leverage.

Speaking of Jack, Ashlyn figured it would be a good time to find the pirate to figure out what the plan is. She was sure something should have occurred at this point.

While Barbossa freaked out and had everyone's attention on the revelation of Elizabeth not being a Turner, Ashlyn used the distraction to slip away and carefully jog through the maze of passes. A smack and clash of coins was heard. The noise distracted Ashlyn long enough to not watch where she was heading, causing her to trip over a large object.

Leaning up, she looked by her feet to see an unconscious Jack laying on the ground, the very thing causing her fall.

"Jacky?"

She crawled over to her friend and attempted to shake the man as the worst ran through her head. _Did one of Barbossa's men knock him out? But they would have immediately told Barbossa of the action. _A sudden thought appeared. _Will_.

"Alrighty Jack-a-roo, I'm gonna need ya to wake up now or we're both gonna die," she whispered as she lightly slapped his face with a fake smile that was slowly turning into a frustrated frown as he didn't wake.

An argument was growing between the Captain and the crew. With the limited view she had between the staggered rocks, she noticed Barbossa looking to where Elizabeth had apparently fallen when he slapped her.

"The medallion!" Barbossa shouted to the crew. "She's taken it! Get after her, you feckless pack of ingrates!"

The order raised Ashlyn's alert as panic filled her body. She could hear the howls of the crew through the caves as they ran with their weapons and torches in hand. Ashlyn began streaming a line of curses as she knew she had to wake Jack now or die trying. Lord knows she's going to be needing his persuasive words to get out of any situation; her recklessness and devil-may-care ways to go straight into fight mode would only get her killed.

As the loud hollers and rumble of feet echoed through the caves, Ashlyn used the noise to cover up her next actions.

With a firm hand and an apology on her lips, Ashlyn timed a solid slap in Jack's face, his hat moving with his head's direction. The pirate was up with a screech before she covered his mouth to hush him.

"Mmph hmph mhm hm," Jack tried to talk but only let out muffled words.

Ashlyn removed her hand.

"What'd you say?"

"I'm gonna kiss him," Jack disgruntled as he leaned up. Grabbing the back of his head where Will apparently hit him.

"_What?"_

"_Kill!_ _Kill _him," he corrected. Jack tried to stand but only stumbled until Ashlyn grabbed a hold of him to help.

"Later. We need to leave first."

Ashlyn stood behind Sparrow as he grabbed the oar that laid beside him. She directed him through the caverns and did her best to keep themselves hidden from the crew, wherever they were. Jack turned around in confusion as he looked around the passage before being shoved into the right direction by Hancock.

"Where-"

"Shhh."

Ashlyn paused in her steps as she hid behind the rocks when seeing the crew by the longboats frantically looking around for something. Alas, Jack didn't get the memo when needing to stop walking. From the corner of her eye, Ashlyn noticed the stumbling Jack go toward the enemy crew and quickly moved to grab him. Now out in the open, attempting to pull Jack back behind cover, the pirates noticed their sudden appearance.

"You." The tall, lean pirate Ashlyn noticed earlier pointed at the discombobulated Jack. Said man almost tripped over his own steps if it weren't for Ashlyn's tug on the back of his coat's collar.

"You're supposed to be dead!" Declared the shorter plump one right next to him. The same one that was shot.

Jack dumbly smiled and directed his thumb toward Ashlyn.

"She's supposed to be dead too!" Jack twisted his face in confusion. "Wait, are we not?"

Sparrow began patting his body down and turned to poke Hancock with the oar. She swiftly swatted it away with a pointed glower and he lifted his hands up in surrender. Jack turned to walk away to where he had entered, only to be stopped by the cocking guns and unsheathed swords.

Ashlyn gave a huff as she moved her hand toward her cutlass instinctively. A wave of calmness swept through her as her body relaxed at the familiar feeling of worn out leather.

Jack turned only to be faced by more pistols and daggers.

"Palulay," Jack stated cross-eyed at the pistol directly in front of him.

Ashlyn opened her eyes at Sparrow's strange words, not even going to bother to help him as he was the reason they were in this mess.

"Palu-li-la-la-lulu," he continued. The two pirates directly in front of him exchanged a puzzled glance. "Parlili. Parsnip, parsley, partner, partner."

"Parley?" the lean pirate suggested.

"That's the one! Parley!" Jack grinned excitedly and turned back to Ashlyn. "Parley! I was trying to say parley!"

"Good for you, Jacky. I'm very proud," Ashlyn stated emotionless.

She turned toward Barbossa's crew. "I'm with him," she nodded her head at Sparrow. "I, too, am under the protection of parley."

The balding pirate turned to his crew member in disbelief. "Parley? _Damn _to the depths whatever muttonhead thought up 'parley!'" He glared at Sparrow and Hancock.

Jack lowered the pistol aimed at his head to lean closer. "That would be the French. Latin based, of course. Inventors of mayonnaise."

The very same pirate smiled and turned to the other sailor beside him. "I like mayonnaise."

Hancock could only roll her eyes.

"Shame about the French, really. Obsessed with raisins."

Ashlyn nodded her head in slight agreement as she thought of the Pirate Lord of the Mediterranean Sea. A man whose fondness for raisins almost matched his outrageous looks.

"Humiliated grapes really. Think about it," Jack continued as he gestured, what Ashlyn assumed, the drained structure of a raisin.

"Don't know," the _Pearl's_ crewman responded.

"Terrific. S'thing about the French," he whistled as he made a snipping motion with his fingers. "Eunuchs, all of them."

"That's not right," one man responded with a grimace.

"That's not _true_. Chevalle still has his!" Ashlyn defended the Frenchman.

Everyone's eyes turned to her. A suggestive brow raised in inquiry.

"Oh come on, the man's too vain enough to cut off 'his treasured crown jewels,' as he calls them."

All pirates bobbed their heads in agreement when thinking of the man and his stories.

The stout criminal spoke up. "I used to date a eunuch."

Jack gave a smile. "I'll get us going," he stated as he turned and grabbed the arms of an unmoving Ashlyn.

The weapons behind them raised once more.

"The only place you'll be going is Davy Jones' locker."

Ashlyn's jaw tightened and she spun around to face the crew; unaware of Jack's flinch. Her hand white-knuckled her cutlass while her teeth ground against one another as she spoke with irked emphasis.

"We are _protected_ under the immunity of parley. We _will _be taken to Captain Barbossa to consulate an accord. If _any _harm is to be done upon us, _I'll_ make sure the Keeper of the Code place your dim-witted heads on a _stake_," she spewed her venom words. "_It's law_."

The portly pirate frowned at her words in a condescending manner. "And who are you to tell us what to do, popsy?"

Ashlyn ignored Jack's eyes attempting to stop her and spoke before she could think properly, anger and pride having gotten the best of her.

"_I_ am Ashlyn Hancock. Daughter of Keen-Eyed Tom, granddaughter of Lionheart, great-granddaughter of Mad Dog, and great-great-granddaughter of the Red King. Captain of the Marauder. Pirate Lord of Madagascar after Captain Teague. Next in line as Keeper of the Code."

The crew simultaneously directed their weapons on the woman. Ashlyn shut her eyes and mentally slapped herself for getting too caught up with her ego. Rookie mistake; practically straight out the same manipulation book that she used on Commodore Norrington back in Port Royal's jails.

"That's a lot of titles someone has who should be dead."

Ashlyn smirked. "It seems a common theme amongst us pirates."


	11. Chapter 10

**A/N: I do not own any characters, plot lines, or any other details that are apart of this narrative -that all belongs to the childhood castle that is Disney and the creators behind the Pirates of the Caribbean series. I only own my character/s and their actions into the story. Thank you!**

* * *

**THE LEGACY OF A PIRATE**

_CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL_

_Chapter 10_

'_Welcome Aboard, Ladies'_

_**HMS Interceptor's**_** Deck**

**Off The Coast Of Isla de Muerta**

**1728**

**Elizabeth **climbed aboard the Naval ship with Will right behind. She was relieved to be away from Captain Barbossa and his skeleton crew.

However, the Naval ship was both a blessing and a curse. Sure she'll be away from the perverted and violent pirates of the _Black Pearl_, but now she'll be forced to go back to Port Royal and marry the Commodore. A good man, sure, but a marriage without love was no real marriage at all. A refusion of the wedding wasn't that simple either. It's her duty as a high-class young woman to marry a man equally privileged, and she wouldn't want to disappoint her father.

Once onto the _Interceptor's_ deck, Elizabeth had a clear view of the rag-tag crew standing in wait. A dwarf with a constant scowl, an old sailing man with a macaw on his shoulder, a dark-skinned woman with a hardened look in her eyes. Certainly not Naval sailors.

"Not more pirates," she exhaustedly sighed.

The man directly in front of her stepped down to greet the woman, a friendly smile on his face. He seemed familiar.

"Welcome aboard, Miss Elizabeth."

And just like that, her memory caught up to her.

"Mister Gibbs?"

That dream she had from what seemed like forever ago jogged her memory of faces. Eyes crinkled as Gibbs' smile broadened, though it disappeared once Will boarded the ship.

"Hey, boy, where be Jack and Ash?"

Elizabeth raised a curious brow and turned to Will.

"Jack and Ash? Jack Sparrow and Ashlyn Hancock?" she interrogated.

This certainly wasn't the rescue she hoped for.

Will glanced at the pirate crew and remembered how by-the-book Ashlyn was with the Code.

"They fell behind," he stated softly. He grabbed Elizabeth's arm and walked her ahead of him so he could direct her where to go. He headed for the stairs to the lower deck.

Gibbs lowered his head in saddened thought. Two great pirates he ever knew -dead, just like that. He faced the disheartened crew.

"Keep to the Code. It's what Ash wanted," he declared. Deciviness now rested on his shoulders as next down the ladder. This place was no longer safe, especially for them. If the best of the pirates were killed, there was no hope for them too. And so, leaving Isla de Muerta became the most important task on their agenda.

The motley crew stayed motionless.

"Weigh anchor! Hoist the sails! Make quick!" Anamaria ordered.

And they did what they were told. A silence blanketing over them in the meantime.

* * *

**Caverns of Isla de Muerta**

* * *

Just as they agreed too, Jack and Ashlyn were taken to Barbossa. They could see him walking towards them, the crew moving to make way for their Captain. He stopped close enough to see the captured two from a reasonable distance.

Jack smugly leaned on top the oar as he gazed at his former first-mate. Ashlyn stood quietly beside him, arms crossed and glaring at Barbossa's dark-skinned first-mate who had mistreated her.

It didn't matter to her that he stood the tallest with his back straight, that his muscles were practically larger than her entire head, his face, and body covered in some ritualistic scarring. The man disrespected her -and no one disrespects a Hancock.

"How the blazes did you get off that island?" Barbossa asked. The crew turned their heads toward Jack, save for Bo'sun; who continued to scowl at the woman.

"When you marooned me on the godforsaken _spit _of land, you forgot one very important thing, mate. . . I'm Captain Jack Sparrow," he opened his arms in theatrics.

Ashlyn put her attention to the conversation being made and rolled her eyes.

Barbossa did as well. He stepped closer to the duo until he was right in Jack's face. "Ah, well, I won't be making that mistake again."

The undead Captain then studied the woman beside him.

"And who's the lovely lady?"

The lean pirate who had a right wooden eye happily answered with a giggling snicker.

"That's Ashlyn Hancock, that is. Daughter of Keen-Eye, granddaughter of Lionheart, great-granddaughter of Mad Dog, and great-great-granddaughter of the Red King, Captain of the Marauder, Pirate Lord of Madagascar, and next in line as Keeper of the Code."

Barbossa broke out in laughter, the crew nervously following right after until he shut them up with a pointed look. He turned his attention to her.

"Impossible! I heard-"

"That I was dead?" Ashlyn interrupted with a bored look. "Yes, it appears that everyone has heard the rumor."

The undead Captain tilted his head in curiosity though his eyes were in rage to her disregard. Barbossa was quiet for a moment. The silence was beginning to unnerve the woman, but she made sure not to show it.

He turned to his crew.

"Gents, you all remember Captain Jack Sparrow?"

"Aye," they laughed.

Captain Barbossa smiled. "Kill him."

All at once, the entire crew outdrew their weapons and aimed it straight at Sparrow's head. Barbossa strolling back to where he had come from.

"The girl's blood didn't work, did it?" Jack asked, rhetorically.

The Captain paused in his step.

"Hold your fire!"

The crew did as told with a disappointed grunt as Barbossa walked back towards the smug pirates. The fake smile on his face screamed just how furious he was that of all people, Jack bloody Sparrow had the answers he needed.

"You know whose blood we need," Barbossa took a guess.

Jack grinned.

"I know whose blood you need."

"Does she?" Barbossa pointed at the supposed 'Hancock' with not even a glance.

Her eye twitched in annoyance.

Jack answered the man with that knowing smirk on his face. "I made sure not to tell a soul. And we all know Hancock's don't have one."

Ashlyn rolled her eyes.

* * *

**Captain's Quarters of the **_**Black Pearl**_

* * *

Ashlyn wasn't particularly good with brokering deals as she was sword fighting, hence why Jack did all the talking. Her attention laid upon the monkey that was sitting on its own perch meant for a bird. At first, the monkey was apprehensive about accepting the affection he was receiving from someone other than his owner, but eventually, he came around.

Throughout the discussion, Barbossa eyed the woman who made childish faces at his pet. The sight wasn't exactly something he expected to see from the assumed last living heir to the Hancock treasure. The monkey had climbed onto Ashlyn's shoulder at one point, and Barbossa was quite impressed. The small creature was loyal to him and tended to dislike everyone else. For a stranger to gain the liking of such a reserved animal was admirable.

Hancock sat on one of the dining chairs, her back straight against the splat and feet properly grounded onto the floor. A knife with dried blood that she found on the table was being used in order to cut off pieces of the green apple Barbossa had offered her when entering. She had tried to give some chunks to the monkey, but he never took one; something that caused Ashlyn to frown. She decided to tune in on what accord Jack was trying to accomplish.

"So, you expect to leave me standing on some beach with nothing but a name and your word its the one I need and watch you sail away in my ship?" Barbossa recited back to the man with a laugh.

"No," Jack shook his head. He stood from his seat and walked next to where Ashlyn sat. "I expect to leave you standing on some beach with absolutely no name at all, watching me and Ash sail away on_ my _ship, and then I'll shout the name back to you. Savvy?"

"But that still leaves with the problem of me on some beach with naught but a name and your word it's the one I need."

Jack casually grabbed three green apples from the centerpiece bowl atop the dining table, only to place two of them back. Barbossa eyed the action.

"Of the three of us, we're the only ones who hasn't committed mutiny."

Ashlyn sucked in air between her teeth, gaining the attention of the other two pirates in the room.

"I've a- I've committed a mutiny before. _Technically," _Ashlyn said as she cocked her head in memory and awkwardly glanced at Jack, clicking her tongue in wait. The man blankly stared at her for a few quiet moments. She looked away from Jack, uncomfortable with his emotionless eyes, and took a bite of apple off her knife. Sparrow slowly returned his gaze onto Barbossa.

"Of the three of us, I'm the only one who hasn't committed mutiny. Therefore, my word is the one we'll be trusting." Jack walked past the sitting woman and sat in the chair next to her. He pulled his feet up onto the table and crossed them to purposely disrespect Barbossa. "Although, I suppose I should be thanking you because, in fact, if you hadn't betrayed me and left me to die, I would have an equal share in that curse, same as you."

The smirking man took a bite of one of the apples in his hand.

"Funny ol' world, ain't it."

Barbossa forced a small laugh as he longingly gazed at the apple being eaten. It's been twelve years since he was able to savor the fresh and sour taste that is his favorite food, to feel the extract from one run down his chin. But he was forced to hear once more about the curse that took that from him and watches the very man he mutinied upon -who was supposed to be dead- takes a bite from one of those _damned _apples. The same apples he had supplied on the way to Isla de Muerta. He had planned to eat them to celebrate the curse being lifted; though that proved to be a failure. And then that smirking Jack bloody Sparrow dared to offer him the fruit.

"Captain," a deep voice entered the room, and Barbossa turned towards it. Sparrow should be grateful for Bo'sun's presence, he was about ready to shoot the man. "We're coming up on the Interceptor."

The monkey that sat on Ashlyn's shoulder jumped off and ran to the door where Bo'sun came from. His screech caused Jack to jump and make a face toward the creature. Unlike Ashlyn, Jack wasn't fond of animals. Sparrow's scare made Ashlyn smirk.

"I'll be out in just a moment, Bo'sun. In the meantime, do escort Sparrow to the helm."

The first-mate nodded to his Captain and stared daggers at Ashlyn, who responded with sticking out her tongue out. He walked out the Quarters with Jack following behind; not before glancing a concerned look at the woman.

Ashlyn turned toward Barbossa with a brow raised.

"I'm curious, Miss Hancock. How is it that a woman who has been dead for near thirteen years become the Captain of the Marauder. A ship once under Captain Trent Lackwood until he, the ship, and its crew never went to another port again."

His words made Ashlyn close her eyes as a shiver ran down her spine. In the cave, she had let that title slip, and now it was coming back to haunt her. Pride and small temperament got the better of her, and she could only hope he didn't know more.

However, Captain Hector Barbossa was an intelligent man, and he knew many things.

"Now, there have been rumors as to why the successful pirate Captain 'vanished.' Death being the most common, but_ I_ don't think that's what happened." Barbossa stood from his seat and leisurely strolled to where Ashlyn sat and took a position on the table. He made sure to be uncomfortably close. Enough to where she was forced to look up at the man to keep eye contact. "You want to know what I think?"

She was mute for a few seconds, debating in her head if she should go along with what he was saying or find a way out. In the end, Ashlyn figured the truth being out now would be better in the long run. Hopefully.

"What do you think?"

Barbossa smiled. "It's a bit of a stretch if I'm honest with ye, but it holds potential." He pointed at Ashlyn's left arm. "May I?"

She raised the arm to the man, and he began to very slowly roll up her sleeves as he spoke. Barbossa gazed directly into Ashlyn's darkened blue-green eyes, her pupils looked as if they formed into slits, like a cat -ready to attack at a moment's notice.

"I believe ye are, in truth, the last Hancock. I think ye faked yer death and wanted to leave this life. But ye realized that the sea's call was too great. A Hancock is born to die at sea. _But you already died_. See, I think ye became someone else. Mutinied against Captain Lackwood and became Captain of the Marauder those twelve years ago," he said.

Captain Barbossa set his eyes upon her arm and smirked at the tattoo that rested before him.

Then he noticed her defeated posture; head tilted down as she looked down at the floor, back slouched off the chair's back, shoulders slumped forward. He watched as her ash blonde hair fell over her face and he knew, right then and there that she is who he thought she was.

"Was I right?"

She stood and took her arm away from his grasp, refusing to look at the pirate.

"I didn't just become someone else. I became a _monster_. I attacked every ship that I crossed. I had no care as to whose allegiance they were under. I killed the crews of twenty-four Royal Navy ships, thirty-eight pirate ships, sixteen Spaniard, twenty-one French, nineteen Colonial, and forty-six merchant vessels across the entire world. The only thing they had in common was the sliced throats upon everyone on board and the ships not being sunk so they could be found floating wherever the tide took them."

Tears streamed down her cheeks as she spoke with every word. Barbossa, in his own way, felt bad for the woman, but he didn't let that show. He did, however, admire her. Born feared as a Hancock and later became the most dangerous pirate Captain in the world and did so anonymously. He glanced at the tattoo once more. Respect was all he could give the female before him.

"But you're also wrong."

Barbossa's eyes flashed to hers like lightning.

"I never wanted to leave the sea or pirate life." She unrolled her sleeve down and walked to the door that led outside. She grabbed hold of the handle and pulled just enough for light to enter the room. Her head twisted to glimpse at the sitting pirate Captain. "And I didn't fake my death," she stated before walking out.

The undead pirate Captain sat on the table in silence. The only sound was the noise of his crew just outside the doors scattering about.

"Welcome aboard. . ." he said to himself as he stared at the doors Ashlyn left through just a split second ago. Barbossa visualized the tattoo that was on her arm. The skull's black eyes and the sword's straight edge struck something deep in his heart -even if he technically couldn't feel it.

But he could remember it like it was yesterday.

1717, a year before Jack recruited him.

_The torn and ripped red flag flew in the wind as the ship sailed away in victory, but everything was so silent. The winning crew didn't celebrate. Everyone on the opposing ship was silent too, though they were all dead with their throats cut; save for one. The lone survivor was a message, having been thrown off the ship by the merciless crew. He held onto dear life on a small piece of driftwood from the same ship he once Captained. A promise was made that night -revenge on who massacred his crew. _

_The black sky was no stranger to the survivor, he was used to the dark. The winning ship's name was engraved onto the side; _The Marauder_, it read. However, the Captain of the ship was not the one he knew and was allies with. The Captain was a young woman, barely even an adult, with light ash blonde hair. _

". . .Captain Cutthroat."


	12. Chapter 11

**A/N: I do not own any characters, plot lines, or any other details that are apart of this narrative -that all belongs to the childhood castle that is Disney and the creators behind the Pirates of the Caribbean series. I only own my character/s and their actions into the story. Thank you!**

* * *

**THE LEGACY OF A PIRATE**

_CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL_

_Chapter 11_

'_William Turner Is A Dumbass'_

**The **_**Black Pearl's **_**Deck**

**Three Miles Out From Isla de Muerta**

**1728**

**Ashlyn **was already at the stern deck when Barbossa arrived. She was leaning against the railing with a blank look, not really focusing on anything around her. The _Pearl's_ current Captain raised his telescope to get a better look at the _Interceptor_. Jack appeared in front of the magnifying object.

"I've a thought here, Barbossa," he stated while waving his hands as to distract the man from the Naval ship. The Captain humored Jack and lowered the scope. "What say we run up a flag of truce, me and Ash scurry over to the Interceptor, and we negotiate the return of your medallion, aye? What say you say to that?" Jack smiled at his own offer.

"Now, you see Jack, that's exactly the attitude that lost you the Pearl. People are easy to search when they're dead," Barbossa countered to a deflated Jack and slammed the scope shut. "Lock him in the brig."

Bo'sun slapped a hand on Jack's shoulder and Barbossa took the bitten apple from Sparrow's hand.

"What about _her?"_ Bo'sun asked gruffly as he motioned his head toward Ashlyn, her face unmoving as stone as she watched the scene before her. Barbossa gave her a fleeting glance.

"How could I forget?" Barbossa rhetorically queried. "Aye, the Hancock too."

The first-mate nodded and made sure to roughly grab hold of Ashlyn's neck as he led them down to the brig.

Barbossa held the apple in his hand up and clenched his jaw, anger coursing through him as he looked at the large bite Jack had taken. In a moment's notice, he threw the apple over the side of the ship.

Down in the brig, Bo'sun was quick to unlock the cell when letting go of Jack, deciding he was the better option. Once the cell was open, Bo'sun pushed the two pirates into the cell and locked the door with a grunt. Barbossa's first-mate locked eyes with Ashlyn and mocked a bow.

"Your majesty," he laughed.

Ashlyn was quick to pull a hidden knife that they failed to find on her person from her boot. The knife was embedded into the man's chest seconds before Ashlyn spat into the man's face. Bo'sun frowned, glancing at the blood that spilled out from him. Though no pain was felt, it rather was a matter of self-respect. He pulled the knife out and threw it away from the cell and grabbed onto Ashlyn's arm that was out from the cell, pulling it towards him. She refused to let out a whimper of pain to satisfy the man's blood-lust.

"You are nothing," Bo'sun taunted with a growl. "A puny girl with big name. What makes you _special?"_

The man let go with a smirk and walked away. Rage filled her and not having her sword on her to calm her nerves, she channeled her irritation by violent kicking the door repeatedly until her foot felt numb. Once she was finished, she slumped down onto the floor and she cradled her hurt arm. The graze wound on her leg was beginning to bleed again, but Ashlyn couldn't care less about the pain or the dirty bandages.

Jack had frozen during the encounter, unsure of what exactly to do and why it was even happening.

"Apparently there's a leak," he spoke up when noticing the water that covered the flooring in attempt to fill the uncomfortable silence.

The woman gave Jack an exhausted look and he gazed around the cell, anything to not look at her. He noticed a small hole in the side and peeked through it. The sight of a barrel passing by was strange, but his attention shifted when hearing a sniff. He turned back to Ashlyn.

"May I ask what that was about, luv?"

"It was nothing, Jacky."

"Sure looked like something." Sparrow took a seat next to the woman. "What did Barbossa say to you?"

The teary-eyed Hancock looked at Jack with her mouth open ready to speak, to reveal the truth of who she was, but nothing came out. She tried again, but not a single sound escaped her. Conflicting emotions bashed in her head. Ashlyn was sure Jack wouldn't hate her for the things she's done, but she was scared. What if he treated her different when learning the she was a monster? What if they separated again because of the news? What if Jack used the information for his own gain?

She gave up on her thoughts and rested her head on his shoulder like a child would. Jack's arm reached around her and rubbed her shoulder as he placed a kiss atop her head. Ashlyn could remember the last time he did that, in a situation similar to this -in a cell.

_God, we were in cells a lot._

A strange sound caught her attention and she raised her head.

"Are those sweeps?"

Jack was quick to look through the gap once again.

"Aye. It seems the Pearl's closing in on our crew."

"Your crew," Jack turned at Ashlyn's comment. "I'm no Captain."

A hard tilt on the port side had Ashlyn sliding down until she hit the cell door and Jack holding onto the bars to keep himself up. Sparrow spied through the hole once again and saw the _Interceptor's_ bow. Ashlyn moved to join him.

The two prisoners could hear the yells of men from both sides by the cannons above them, ready for their command to fire. Once the order was given, cannonballs were fired left and right all around them. Jack was quick to notice one heading towards them and, just like back in Port Royal, grabbed Ashlyn in order for them to duck out of the way. Jack looked back at the much larger hole that they were once looking through.

"Stop blowing holes in my ship!" He yelled in false hope that the crew on the _Interceptor _would hear. However, his yells was overcome with cannonfire and gunshots. The only person hearing his complaint was the woman laying beside him with a roll of her eyes.

From the corner of Jack's eye, he spotted a flask. _Gibbs'_. He opened it and tried to pour its contents out only for it to be empty.

"Why is Gibbs' flask here?" Ashlyn asked. "Do they not have cannonballs?"

Jack stood up suddenly.

"Ash," he said, grabbing her attention.

The two observed the hole in the locking area of the cell door. Jack lightly pushed it and the door open. Jack grinned back at the woman.

"You are as lucky as you are unlucky."

Ashlyn followed behind Jack as they left the brig. Hancock raising a brow at the metal utensils lodged into a nearby pole. _They really don't have cannonballs._ With the confusion going on, the two were easily able to walk up the stairs and escape everyone's close eye. Up on the top deck, Jack jumped up onto the ledge and turned around to face Ashlyn, though she was not beside him.

"Ash?!" Jack questioned as he saw Ashlyn looking at the people around her, unmoving to join him by his side.

"You go ahead!" She called out to him as she continued her search. "I'm finding my weapons!"

Jack reluctantly nodded at her as she ran off to find her effects. He turned to see a man swinging on a rope heading right towards him, having failed boarding the _Interceptor_. Jack grabbed the line and he swung right off at the sudden stop.

"Thanks very much."

Jack swung off the _Pearl_ and wasn't able to land onto the Naval ship, though able to knock one of Barbossa's men off Gibbs. He swayed back over the _Interceptor_ and landed beside a soot-faced Gibbs.

"Jack!" He yelled in glee.

Sparrow took the flask that he put on his side and handed the man his possession.

"Bloody empty," he commented.

Gibbs glanced up at Jack. "Is Ashlyn alive too?"

Jack gave the man a look. "'Course she is," he said before walking off. An undead crew member ran toward Gibbs and the man parried the swing and knocked him out with a punch before letting out a war cry onto the next enemy sailor with reinvigorated energy.

Elizabeth was quick to slap one man only to be grabbed by one behind her. He raised his sword up high for the kill, but his arm was stopped by Jack.

"That's not very nice," he remarked.

The man was suddenly kicked into the deck and another person took his spot. That person being none other than Ashlyn Hancock for she had swung over from the _Pearl_.

"Hello again, Jacky," she smiled.

Jack returned it, though frowned when noticing her hands absent of her cutlass.

"Where's your weapon?"

"Bo'sun has it. Can't get anywhere near the bastard," she grumbled and looked off to the side and finally took notice of the recently rescued Elizabeth Swann.

"Ah, princess! Seems that Turner got the girl afterall."

Another one of Barbossa's men approached the three, though was quickly stopped when Ashlyn kicked the man's gut and Elizabeth threw a blow to his head.

"I'm no princess," Elizabeth stated with a scowl, causing Ashlyn to chuckle.

"Whatever you say, _your highness_," she smiled at Elizabeth's frown.

Shots being fired from the opposing ship made their way towards them and Jack moved Elizabeth behind a raised ledge for cover. Ashlyn, in the meantime, took an unconscious man's sword and began fighting those around her with swift ease.

"Where's the medallion?" Jack questioned the blonde in the maroon dress.

"Wretch!"

Elizabeth went to slap the pirate in front of her, but Jack caught her hand. He noticed the cloth wrapped around it.

"Ahh, where is dear William?"

Elizabeth gasped and turned to where she saw Turner enter the level below. "Will." She ran to the door that was covered by the broken mizzenmast. His fingers being the only thing able to come through the door's holes.

Jack watched as Elizabeth tried to help Will and was about to go over and join her, but he saw Barbossa's monkey scurrying over the fallen mast. The medallion in its grubby, stealing paw-hand. Ashlyn appeared in the corner of his eye.

"Ash!" She turned at her name once kicking her opponent overboard and looked to see where was pointing.

"Monkey!" Sparrow declared.

The two ran after the creature.

Jack crawled behind the monkey over the mast. Ashlyn, however was carefully balancing herself over the pole with her two feet just behind him. Sparrow held his hand out to grab Barbossa's pet only to stop as its owner's boots were in his sights. The monkey already up on his shoulder and the medallion in his hands.

"Why, thank you, Jack," Barbossa stated while looking at the pirate before him.

Ashlyn's foot slipped, unable to keep her balance when her momentum wanted her to go forward when she abruptly halted. She maneuvered herself to fall forward and subsequently fell right onto Jack, who was pushed down onto the mast.

"You're welcome," he squeezed out to the amused Barbossa.

"Not you. We named the monkey 'Jack,'" Barbossa informed with a smirk, the monkey even letting out a smile of his own. The pirate Jack sarcastically smiled at the man above him.

"Gents, our hope is restored!" Barbossa shouted to his crew as he held up the medallion. The crew yelling out their cheers as they turned victorious against the _Interceptor's_ motley crew. Hancock noticed the monkey raise his arms, coping the crewmen.

Ashlyn let out a coo. "Aw, he's so cute- ow! Hey!" She responded to Jack elbowing her side. "He's _not _cute. There, you happy?" She corrected herself in Sparrow's liking. Ashlyn raised a hand and gave a small wave towards Jack the monkey with a smile on her face. Her smile widened when the monkey returned a wave.

* * *

Unlike the rest of the crew, Ashlyn and Jack were being held by some of Barbossa's men. Their crew was tied against the _Pearl's_ main mast. Barbossa was watching the _Interceptor_ in waiting, twirling the Aztec gold in his fingers. The plump pirate, constantly shadowed by the taller one, walked around Jack's crew with his gun raised at each one of them he passed.

"Any of you so much as thinks the word 'parley,' I'll have your guts for garters!"

Once the two passed Elizabeth, she raised the rope around them -having been smaller compared to the men around her- right as the _Interceptor_ blew from Twigg's self-made bomb. She paused in her step at the sight.

"Will," she breathed out. "You've got to stop it!" She yelled as she ran at Barbossa. "Stop it!"

The Captain was quick to grab hold of her wrists and stop her from hitting him.

"_Welcome_ back, miss. You took advantage of our hospitality last time. It holds fair now you return the favor," Barbossa stated as he threw the girl into a group of men as they all grabbed onto the screaming girl. The _Pearl's_ crew all laughed at the sight. Ashlyn moved forward instantly to stop their perverted groping on instinct only to be stopped by Barbossa's raised arm. He tutted at the female pirate.

"Barbossa!" Came a yell from the side. Everyone turned their attention toward the drenched man atop the railing and Elizabeth stopped her terrified screams.

William jumped off the railing and grabbed onto one of the guns from a raised platform (The guns belonging to Jack's crew) and cocked it straight at Barbossa. "She goes free."

Barbossa made a face at the boy who demanded him and approached him. "What's in your head,_ boy?" _

"She goes free."

Barbossa stopped when he was inches from the lad's gun and raised a brow in disbelief to his stupidity. It certainly was his first negotiation.

"You've only got one shot, and we can't die," the Captain told the boy. Will glanced at where Jack and Ashlyn stood.

"_Don't do anything stupid!"_ Jack whisper-shouted toward him with his hands in prayer position, hoping that the lad does what he said. Ashlyn could only sigh at where the situation was heading. Like she said before, love was the more ignorant of weakness, making it the most dangerous.

Will ran back onto the railing, the Jacob's ladder as his support and pointed the gun and the crew. "You can't!" He repositioned the gun to his chin. "I can."

Elizabeth began to struggle against the men holding her. Ashlyn widened her eyes as Jack let out a disappointed sigh. "Like that," he spoke to himself.

Barbossa's brow raised at Jack and Ashlyn's reaction and turned back to the young man. "Who are you?"

"No one," Jack stated as he ran up to Barbossa to block his view from William. "He's no one. A distant cousin of my aunt's nephew twice removed. Lovely singing voice, though. Eunuch," Jack grimaced while pointing back at the lad. Barbossa, however, was no fool and could easily tell Sparrow was making everything up on the spot.

"My name is-!" Ashlyn suddenly broke out in obvious fake laughter grabbing everyone's confused attention.

"I'm sorry. His name is Caspian Hancock, he's actually my brother."

"Isn't your brother dead?" The one-eyed pirate brought up.

Ashlyn smiled threateningly him and spoke through her clenched teeth. "Yes! That is true, how right you are, but he _faked_ his death. If I could do it for twelve years, he could for twenty-two. . ." she trailed off with a shake of her head, disbelieved with the words escaping her.

The same pirate spoke up once again. "If your brother was still alive, wouldn't he have golden hair like all the other Hancock's? And he'd be older than you, you certainly look older than him."

"_Dear God man, have you no respect!" _Ashlyn shouted as she ran at the man, but was stopped by Koehler and Twigg. Insults were thrown at the pirate before she was finally able to calm herself and shrugged off the two's hands.

She glared at the tall sailor who was being comforted by the shorter one beside him.

"She yelled at me!"

"Now you know never speak to a woman about her age."

"Why not? Do they become sensitive over the constant reminder that the older a person is the closer they are to their ultimate end or because when they get older they become less attractive with newfound wrinkles and saggy-" he was hit in the back of the head by the shorter man.

"Get yourself together, mate."

Will spoke up to gain everyone's attention. "My name is Will Turner! My father was Bootstrap Bill Turner. His blood runs in my veins!" He blatantly ignored Jack and Ashlyn's attempt to keep his existence a secret. Jack had walked back next to Ashlyn in defeat while Will informed everyone his lineage.

"Nice attempt," Ashlyn whispered to Jack.

"Yours was better. Could've worked if it weren't for Pintel's nephew, Ragetti."

Ashlyn crossed her arms as she glared at the now identified pirate of Barbossa's. "So that's their names."

"He's the spitting image of old Bootstrap Bill come back to haunt us!" Ragetti yelped.

"On my word, do as I say, or I'll pull this trigger and be _lost _to Davy Jones' locker," Will continued. Jack eyed the instant motion of Ashlyn reaching for her sword, though only caught air and took a deep breath.

Barbossa gazed up at the young man. "Name your terms, Mister Turner."

"Elizabeth goes free!"

"_Yes_, we know that one. Anything else?" Barbossa suggested sarcastically.

Jack pointed at him and Ashlyn with an encouraging nod. Ashlyn could only roll her eyes at the luck they would have for young Turner to be in charge of making deals with the master of loopholes.

"And the crew! The crew are not to be harmed."

Barbossa could only smirk at the said terms as he made his way toward the lad. "_Agreed_."

Ashlyn turned to her childhood friend. "Jacky."

"Yes, luv."

"If we die because of William bloody Turner, I'll kill him."

"I'll join you."

* * *

A/N: Thank you readers! Know any facts about pirates that I put in wrong or would like for me to implement? Tell me and I'll try to do so! I really like to research certain aspects on the life in the 1700s, though I can't really find a whole lot, but I do the best I can to make things as accurate as possible while making sure it's close to the movie and would keep the imagination alive. Thanks again, love you all!


	13. Chapter 12

**A/N: I do not own any characters, plot lines, or any other details that are apart of this narrative -that all belongs to the childhood castle that is Disney and the creators behind the Pirates of the Caribbean series. I only own my character/s and their actions into the story. Thank you!**

* * *

**THE LEGACY OF A PIRATE**

_CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL_

_Chapter 12_

'_The Past Bites Our Ass'_

**The **_**Black Pearl's **_**Deck**

**Half A Mile From Rum Runner's Isle**

**1728**

** It **had taken the Pearl roughly four hours until it made anchor by some uninhabited island. Elizabeth, William, Jack, and Ashlyn had their hands bound and separated into four corners of the ship; Barbossa made sure that no plans were to be made between them. Jack heavily sighed at the isle before him just as Barbossa's men began to loudly cheer once seeing the small island. It wasn't long until they decided that the ladies should go first. Elizabeth's hands were cut free and pushed onto the plank. The undead crew gathered to get a view. Jack and Ashlyn were held just behind Barbossa. The ones closest to the plank held their swords out as to block Elizabeth's chances to come back, making sure her only way out was down into the water.

"Go on, poppet, go!" Pintel laughed. "Walk the plank!"

The situation involving the plank was more toward entertainment than anything. It wasn't common for pirates to actually use it, but Barbossa's men deemed it an appropriate time to get a right laugh with the long wooden board.

Elizabeth held onto the ends of the dress she was given and walked to the edge of the plank. She looked down into the water below. Miss Swann could remember a time when she actually enjoyed the thought of meeting pirates. How she wanted to shake that imaginative girl now.

Turner was able to escape his hold and struggle through men to get to their Captain. Eventually, he was held by Twigg.

"Barbossa, you lying bastard! You _swore _she'd go free!"

The undead man turned toward the young man. "Don't _dare_ impugn me honor, boy. I agreed she'd go free, but it was _you_ who failed to specify when or _where_," he chuckled, the crew laughing right after as a crewman gagged the lad. Two men then led Will down to the brig where Jack's motley crewmen were locked up.

"Though it does seem a shame to lose something so fine, don't it lads?" Barbossa addressed his men while looking at the worried Elizabeth.

"Aye," they all agreed.

Barbossa walked closer to the plank's edge upon the ship. "So I'll be having that dress back before you go," he said as he raised a hand out. The crew all began to snicker and giggle.

Elizabeth's glare hardened at Barbossa as she began to untie the dress off her. The crew all quieting at the sight, causing Ashlyn to roll her eyes at their nature.

"I always liked you," Jack said as he looked at Koehler beside Hancock. She could only smirk at Jack's face when the dark-skinned man grunted forcefully at him.

The crew began to coo and whistle as Elizabeth threw the maroon dress at the waiting Captain, his fingers wiggling impatiently.

"Goes with your black heart," she stated.

The man could only smile as he raised the dress to his cheek. _"Ooh,_ it's still warm," he commented to spite Elizabeth even if she knew well that the man wasn't able to feel it. He threw the dress to one man behind Jack and Ashlyn and turned back to Elizabeth, now in her sleeping gown.

"Off you go!" Pintel yelled. Elizabeth gazed at the water once again before glancing back at the gagged Will. "Come on!"

"Too long!" Bo'sun declared as he slammed his foot against the plank, making Elizabeth trip over the bouncing wood and fall into the saltwater below with a surprised yelp. The crew all laughed and pushed Ashlyn toward the plank next. She didn't fight against the men around her, just glared at Bo'sun with that giant smile on his face. Barbossa cut the rope around her wrists and guided her onto the plank with his own amused smile.

"Men!" He addressed the crew once more. "Let me reintroduce ya! This here is, in fact, the last Hancock." The pirates booed. "But she's not only so! _No, no._ This is the one the only _Captain Cutthroat_, and _you'll _be the ones -not the privateers, not the Royal Navy, not even the _King of England_\- that'll be sending her to her death!"

The entire undead crew seemed to spur up their loudest hollers of joy at the thought. However, even with all the commotion, Ashlyn could only focus on Jack's face through the crowd of men. How bewildered and betrayed he looked, how quiet and stunned he was; unmoving.

And the next thing Ashlyn knows was Barbossa's sword that waved in front of her, forcing her to move back as it came closer. Her brain didn't seem to realize when to stop until her foot slipped off the very end, and she fell into the warm water with a gasp.

Ashlyn remained still for a few moments as she slowly sank. Before her eyes, red surrounded her and she panicked, accidentally engulfing water in her system. Ashlyn swam up to the surface speedily. Her lungs gathered bouts of air and she coughed the water up. She worriedly looked around her -no red, just some crazed hallucination of a memory. Ashlyn began to swim to shore, meters behind Elizabeth.

It was going to be a long swim.

* * *

Jack was dragged next onto the plank by Twigg and Koehler. The pirate turned to Barbossa before he stepped foot any closer to the plank's edge.

"I'd really rather hoped we were past all this," he stated.

Barbossa put a friendly smile as he put an arm around Sparrow's shoulder.

"Jack. . . _Jack_. Did you not notice? That be the same little island that we made you Governor of on our last little trip."

Sparrow glanced at the island before back at his former first-mate. "I did notice."

"Perhaps you'll be able to conjure up another miraculous escape. But I doubt it," Barbossa smiled before unsheathing his sword toward Jack, just as he did with Ashlyn. Jack backed away from the blade. "Off you go." Other swords joined beside Barbossa's as the crew made noises of agreement.

"Last time, you left me a pistol with one shot," Jack quickly brought up to buy some time.

"By the powers, you're right! Where be Jack's pistol? Bring it forward."

A crewmember brought Jack's effects to his Captain. Sparrow glanced at the swimming women and returned his attention to Barbossa, another thought in mind. "Seeing as there's three of us, a _gentleman_. . . would give us a trio of pistols."

Barbossa thought for second before giving a slight nod. "Out of respect toward Cutthroat, bring forth Hancock's effects!" He ordered. Jack let out a sigh of relief. Bo'sun appeared beside Captain Barbossa and handed him Ashlyn's cutlass, pistol, and the few daggers all wrapped in her sash. The undead man grabbed her gun and unloaded it completely.

"What are you doing?" Jack stammered out.

"I think you know. Now you can be the gentleman and shoot one of the ladies and starve to death with the other. I wonder who you'll pick," Barbossa sneered as he threw both pirates' weapons into the sea.

Jack dove down to the reef and struggled to grab both effects as his hands were still bound. He quickly cut himself free using a nearby coral and picked the two up. He used a rock to launch himself up toward the surface.

* * *

The three arrived around the same time to the isle. Elizabeth stormed onto the shore, her nightdress heavy. She internally wished that she was wearing similar clothes to Jack and Ashlyn's.

The pirates were quiet. Ashlyn having put some distance between her and Sparrow once Jack handed Ashlyn her gear. They all looked back at the _Pearl _as it began to sail back to Isla de Muerta with Will and the crew still captured.

"That's the second time I've had to watch that man sail away with my ship," Jack informed.

Elizabeth took a look around the island and silently made a decision to take a walk around it, to scope it out; leaving Jack and Ashlyn alone together.

The two pirates used the beached broken tree, as well as their swords, and placed their boots atop to let them air dry. Their coats were laid on the sand, as well as Ashlyn's corset. She retied her hair up into a messy bun with the piece of twine she's been using. It was given to her by Anamaria. With her hair out of the way and the men's shirt she wore being low-cut, the necklace that Blackbeard gifted her was out on display.

Sparrow took a seat and reassembled his pistol, drying it off and checking the single bullet for damages. Ashlyn sat near him, though was more than an arm's distance away. She didn't do anything but watch the horizon.

"I wish we were back in that cell in Port Royal," Ashlyn broke the tense silence.

Jack didn't even glance at her when he responded. _"I wish_ you would've told me."

Ashlyn looked up at the sky in exasperation and laid down onto the cool sand.

"I wanted too, but I just- I couldn't. What was I going to say, huh? 'Hey Jacky, we haven't seen each other in almost thirteen years! I'm the ruthless Captain Cutthroat now!' _'Oh wow, Ashlyn that's great to hear! Wanna go on an adventure like back in the old days before you were such a vicious murderer?'_ 'Yeah, that sounds great, Jacky!" she deepened her voice on Jack's part as she recited a mock conversation between themselves.

The man let out a laugh and glanced at Ashlyn with a smile, to which she returned once making eye contact. She let out a chuckle. The two sat in the sand, letting out small cackles here and there before their silence grew comfortable.

"I'm sorry that I didn't tell you sooner."

"Apology accepted. I only wished you did, because if so, we could have scared those blue coat bastards a lot more than just with you being a Hancock," Jack laughed.

"This went a lot better than I envisioned," she stated in full honesty.

Elizabeth's walk ended in a few minutes as she stopped right in front of the two. She looked at the footprints she left when started.

"It's really not all that big, is it?" Jack said.

She turned toward the pirates. "If you're going to shoot me, please do so without delay."

Ashlyn let out a laugh as Jack leaned forward toward the Governor's daughter. "Is there a problem between us, Miss Swann?"

She leaned forward with a glare. "You were about to tell Barbossa about Will in exchange for a _ship_."

Ashlyn sat up at Elizabeth's words. "We could use a ship right about now, princess," Ashlyn stated. The dirty blonde woman turned her glare toward her.

"I'm not a princess!"

"Well, the fact is," Jack interrupted before an argument could grow between the women -certainly not something he would stop anyhow if he valued his life. And he did. "I was going to _not _tell Barbossa about bloody Will in exchange for a ship because as long as he didn't _know _about bloody Will, I had something to bargain with. _Which now no one has, _thanks to- Ashlyn, if you may," Jack directed his hand toward the female pirate.

She raised a hand up to her chin in thought before lifting it in false remembrance, a teasing smile on. "Thanks to bloody stupid Will."

Jack nodded his head and stood up, frustrated with Elizabeth's presence and wanting a drink right about now.

The high-class woman looked down at her feet.

"Oh," she said.

"_Oh,"_ Jack repeated as he placed his pistol in the front of his pants.

"He still risked his life to save ours," Elizabeth defended.

Jack let out a mock laugh as he began to walk toward the vegetated area of the isle. Ashlyn then stood and shook out the sand from her pants and shirt.

"Bloody good saving he did," Ashlyn commented before facing where Jack was to walk next to the man. "You hear that, Jacky? We're saved!"

"Hooray!" Jack responded as he raised his arms to 'celebrate.'

Elizabeth picked up her dress and ran towards the pirates. "So we have to do something to rescue him!" Hancock rolled her eyes at Elizabeth's statement.

Ashlyn was so done rescuing young and in love people.

"Off you go," Jack turned back at the girl and gestured his hands for her to leave. "Let me know how that turns out." He marched off.

"But you were marooned on this island before, weren't you? So we can escape the same way you did then!" Jack stopped to face the woman.

"To what point and purpose, young missy? The Black Pearl is gone. Unless you have a rudder and a lot of sails hidden in that bodice," Jack glanced at the young woman's said feature. "Unlikely. Young Mister Turner will de dead long before you can reach him."

Jack walked up to a tree and knocked on it, Elizabeth not far behind him in protest. Ashlyn stood a few feet behind them and looked around the unfamiliar area.

"But you're Captain Jack Sparrow!" Elizabeth argued as Jack ignored her and took four to five long steps from the tree. "You vanished from under the eyes of seven agents of the East India Company! You sacked Nassau Port without even firing a shot! And _you!" _She turned to Ashlyn, who backed away from the sudden closeness of the woman as Jack jumped over something, though it proved unmoving for some time.

"You're Ashlyn Hancock! The last of a line of legendary pirate Captains! You escaped all kinds of capture! Privateers, the Royal Navy, Spaniards! And I heard Barbossa! You're even Captain Cutthroat! The most _feared _pirate in all history! Now, are you two the pirates I've read about or not?"

Elizabeth faced Jack. "How did you escape last time?"

Jack pushed Elizabeth away a few feet, a disappointed look on his face. "Last time. . . I was here a grand total of three days, all right?" He reached down and opened a hidden trap door and walked down the stairs. Ashlyn raised a brow at the revelation. "Last time, the rumrunners used this island as a cache, came by, and I was able to barter passage off. From the looks of things, they've long been out of business."

Elizabeth's jaw dropped as she saw the shelves filled with bottles of liquor.

"Probably have your bloody friend Norrington to thank for that," Jack continued as he grabbed a few bottles and climbed out of the rum runner's hole.

"James was just doing his job," Ashlyn defended without a second thought.

The two looked at her in marvel. Elizabeth raised a brow and tilted her head in puzzlement as to why a pirate, nonetheless a Hancock, would justify a Commodore of the Royal Navy while referring to him by his first name.

Ashlyn scratched the back of her neck and walked to the tree Jack knocked on earlier for some distance.

"So that's it, then?" Elizabeth asked in let down. "That's the secret _grand _adventure of the infamous Jack Sparrow?" She got in Jack's face. "You spent _three _days lying on a beach, drinking rum?"

Jack glanced at the three glass bottles in his hand before raising them up. "Welcome to the Caribbean, luv," he stated. Jack approached where Ashlyn leaned against the tree and gave her one. "This is wine that's been aged for over thirteen years," he smirked.

Ashlyn examined the full dusty bottle with a smile. "You see, Jacky. _This_ is what's good." The two pirates headed back to their spot on the beach, Miss Swann rushing behind.

"So," she began, ignoring Ashlyn's eye roll. "Is there any truth to the other stories? Both of yours?"

"Truth?" Jack repeated. He lifted his sleeve to reveal the pirate brand the EITC gave him and the sparrow tattoo. His other showed a significant and jagged scar up his arm, and then he moved his shirt to the side to provide light to two bullet wounds close to his heart before sitting down. "No truth at all."

Elizabeth glanced at the still-standing Ashlyn. "And you?"

"Sorry, princess, but I bargained with my captors more often than I escaped. That or used their supernatural superstitious against them; works all the time."

Ashlyn sat beside Sparrow and opened her bottle of wine with a 'pop.'

"Why do you call me 'princess?'' Elizabeth sighed, her hands falling to her sides.

Ashlyn removed the bottle from her lips. "You, dear Elizabeth, are a pampered girl raised in daddy's manor who never saw a day of work. Servants do your every bidding, gifts of pretty silk dresses to match your young, _pretty_ face given at every formal event, and men of high power proposing left and right."

Elizabeth nodded her head in defiance, not wanting to let her dismay show as one of her childhood idols talked down to her.

"You're right, you're _right_. I have maids that heat my bed when I wish, dresses made from France given to me by my father, and the Commodore, a _good_ man, asking for my hand in marriage." Ashlyn scrunched her nose at the information. "But you. . . _You _get to travel the world while I stay in that manor! You go on adventures in search for ancient treasures! You fight monsters! You're incredible!"

"_And you're naive!"_ Ashlyn shouted as she launched herself up to stand before the lass. "You read fantasy stories about swashbuckling thieves of the sea and don't realize their rose tinted. We're not just thieves, Elizabeth, we're murderers. You say we fight monsters, but we _are_ monsters."

Ashlyn lifted her shirt to unveil her toned stomach. Slashes were present, ranging from deep to shallow gashes.

"Captain Ned Low enjoys violence. I was twenty-two."

Three bullet wounds were clustered together on her side. Jack winced at the sight, having been there when those happened.

"Pirate-turned-Privateer Captain Benjamin Hornigold went against rules and attempted to bring me in. I was seventeen."

Ashlyn opened her hands out, and Elizabeth winced at the two clean cuts over the palms; somewhat similar to the one Miss Swann gained from Barbossa. Ashlyn gestured to the prominent vertical scar just below her rib, and when she turned, a matching one was in the back.

"A man I thought I could trust put his sword right through me and I tried to take it out."

"I would think a wound like that would kill a person," Elizabeth voiced.

"Yeah," Ashlyn responded softly.

She raised her hair to show an irritated, red imprint on the back of her neck from a hot blade.

"Captain Charles Vane personally wanted information from me. Eighteen."

Hancock then lifted the bottom of her pant leg up and showed a prolonged indent over her calf.

"A piece of wood," Ashlyn explained to the perplexed woman. "I fell when I was escaping rogue pirates and it caught me. Fourteen."

Ashlyn pointed at the soaked bandage on her thigh with spots of pink in the center, "This is recent."

"That should be changed," Elizabeth purposed.

"See medical supplies lying around, princess?"

A hush fell over the three strandee's. Ashlyn took a liking to chugging the bottle of wine in hand until remnants began flowing down her chin.

"Still have a month, maybe more," Jack enlightened the women. "Keep a weather eye open for passing ships and our chances are fallen." He downed some rum.

"And what about Will? We have to do something."

"_Christ woman-"_

"Ashlyn," Jack stopped the pirate before she said anything else. "You're absolutely right," he closed the rum bottle he drank from and rolled it down to Elizabeth's feet. He grabbed the other one and raised it. "Here's luck to you, Will Turner." He took a drink, Ashlyn taking a sip right alongside him.

"Are many sailing men superstitious?" Elizabeth asked curiously.

"Almost all," Ashlyn responded before she gave a short yawn.

Elizabeth grabbed the bottle Jack gave her and opened it. She walked to where the pirates sat and took her seat beside Ashlyn, who laid back onto the sand with a relaxed moan. _"Drink up me hearties, yo ho,"_ she sang before taking a swig of the rum in a grimace.

The pirates looked at one another with a raised brow and turned to the lass.

"What was that, Elizabeth?" Jack asked.

"It's Miss Swann." Sparrow raised his hands in surrender.

"Or princess."

"_I'm not- _you know what, I don't care. It was nothing. Just a song I learned as a child when I actually thought it would be exciting to meet a pirate," she breathed a smile at the ridiculous thought.

"Let's hear it," Jack suggested.

"Oh, no."

"Oh, come at it, princess! We have the time!" Ashlyn nudged the lass with her knee. "It's that or me beautiful singing of 'Leave Her Johnny,' it's up to you," she joked.

Jack reached over and grabbed onto Elizabeth's shoulder with an exasperated look. "Please, Miss Swann," he whispered with wide eyes. The woman grinned along with Ashlyn at Jack's overdramatic ways.

"No!" She sighed. "I'll have to have a lot more to drink."

Jack smiled. "How much more?"

* * *

A fire was built using tree branches and leaves, fueled by two bottles of rum, and Jack's sword and stone. By nightfall, the pirates were drunk as could be, and Elizabeth did well in acting as drunk as they were. Elizabeth did, in fact, teach them the song her mother taught her and they all sang (Horribly) and danced around the built tower.

"_We're devils, we're black sheep, we're really bad eggs! Drink up me hearties, yo ho! Yo ho, yo ho!"_

"Ouch!" Jack said as he wandered too close to the fire before returning back to the song.

"_A pirate's life for me!_ I _love _this song!" Jack declared with his arms open and spun Ashlyn and Elizabeth around when they were about to pass him. "_Really_ bad eggs!"

The twirl had discombobulated both Jack and Ashlyn. Jack fell down as Ashlyn held onto her head as she clumsily sat down next to him. "My head spins," Ashlyn moaned as she closed her eyes and relaxed on top the cool sand.

Elizabeth tripped over her feet and fell onto Jack's legs.

"When I get the Pearl back," Jack stated in confidence as he helped Elizabeth sit up. "I'm gonna teach it to the whole crew. And we'll sing it all the time."

Elizabeth nodded. "You'll be the most fearsome pirate in the Spanish Main!"

Jack gave her a wide-eyed look. "Not just the Spanish Main, luv. The entire ocean. The entire _world."_

"Not than me!" Ashlyn raised a hand with a childish giggle.

"'Course not, Ashy! But wherever we want to go, we go. That's what a ship is, you know. It's not just a keel and a haul and a deck and sails. That's what a ship needs. But what a ship _is_, what the _Black Pearl _really is. . . Ashlyn, say it."

A snore grabbed their attention, and they turned to see Ashlyn sleeping, cuddling into the empty bottle of her fourth bottle of wine.

_That's one down. _

Jack switched his focus back to Elizabeth.

"Is freedom."

Elizabeth laid her head on his shoulder. "Jack, it must be really terrible for you to be trapped on this island."

"Oh, yes," he placed a hand gently on her shoulder. "But the _company _is infinitely better than last time, I think." Jack smiled and looked over at Ashlyn, who let out a significantly loud snore. Jack took a hand and sloppily covered her face to shut her up, but it only made her turn away from him. "The scenery has definitely improved."

"_Mister Sparrow!"_

"Mm-hmm?"

"I'm not entirely sure I've had enough rum to allow that kind of talk while your Ash is just beside you."

"I've no idea what you mean, luv."

"Well, she is your lover, right?"

Jack let out a laugh, "Nay."

He abruptly stopped his laughter and raised a brow as he looked at the passed out woman. "I mean, we _were_, but then she kinda liked this one guy, English bloke, and- _and _well, _stuff _happened. I thought her dead, she thought me dead; the usual things. Twelve years later, here we are and I don't know," he chuckled, though no amusement was behind it.

Elizabeth raised her half-empty bottle as a toast to change the topic, seeing how awkward Jack got. "To freedom."

Jack glanced at her raised bottle, then back at Elizabeth.

"To the Black Pearl," he corrected before clinking his rum bottle with hers. He took a large drink before passing out onto the sand.

Elizabeth dropped her rum-bottle down beside and let out a huff as she looked at the sleeping drunk pirate duo.

_Complicated people._


	14. Chapter 13

**A/N: I do not own any characters, plot lines, or any other details that are apart of this narrative -that all belongs to the childhood castle that is Disney and the creators behind the Pirates of the Caribbean series. I only own my character/s and their actions into the story. Thank you!**

* * *

**THE LEGACY OF A PIRATE**

_CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL_

_Chapter 13_

'_Never Judge A Book's Cover No Matter How Ugly It Is'_

**Rum Runner's Isle**

**Caribbean Sea**

**1728**

** "Ash.** Ash, wake up. She- she- _Ashlyn!"_

The woman groaned as she peeked an eye open to see a stressed Jack staring inard the isle with wide eyes. She noticed grey clouds around them and realized it was smoke after she took a deep intake of air. An explosion caused Ashlyn to quickly turn onto her stomach and look to where the noise took place, her hangover forgotten as her survival instincts kicked in.

Jack cringed at the sight.

The scene before them was of Elizabeth's doing. The woman had gathered all the barrels and liquor bottles into a pile and started a fire, the very thing she learned when watching Jack from last night. The fire had spread to the surrounding palm trees. Smoke drifted into the winds as it continued to rise.

"No! Not good!" Jack yelled as he ran toward the woman as she threw another bottle in. "Stop! Not good! What are you doing?!"

Miss Swann, who casually began to walk down to the beach, didn't even glance at the man.

"You burned all the food, the shade! The rum!"

She continued to look toward the horizon as Ashlyn rose from her position and slowly approached the two with an impressed expression on.

"Yes, the rum is gone."

"Why is the rum gone?"

Elizabeth turned to the man. "One, because it is a vile drink that turns even the most respectable men into complete scoundrels."

"True," Ashlyn agreed as she joined the two.

"_Two,_ that signal is over a thousand feet high. The _entire _Royal Navy is out looking for me."

"Hmph, condescending," Hancock added to herself.

"Do you really think there is _even _the slightest chance they won't see it?" Elizabeth continued.

Jack shook his hands in desperation. "But why is the rum gone?"

The women sighed at his words. Elizabeth sat onto the sand as Ashlyn watched their interactions in silence.

"Just wait, Captain Sparrow. You give it one hour, maybe two, keep a weather eye open and you will see white sails on that horizon."

Ashlyn chuckled at her words, remembering that they were similar to what Jack told them the other day. Jack grabbed his pistol and debated in his head as to shoot it at the back of Miss Swann's head. Hancock glared at the man. He huffed at his friend's face and he decided to storm off. The remaining pirate took a seat beside Elizabeth, who scrunched her face at the actions.

"You tricked us, didn't you?" Ashlyn asked.

"What? _No," _Elizabeth defended herself as she tightened her arms around her legs. She received a pointed look from the pirate. Her arms fell by her sides. "Yes."

The older woman let out a genuine laugh and slapped Elizabeth on the back. Elizabeth let out a laugh of her own.

"That's good. You surprised me, Miss Swann. Color me impressed."

"Really? Even though I burnt all your wine."

"Oh, please. It's just some drink."

"That's what I'm saying!"

Ashlyn laid back onto the warm sand, her hands put together behind her head as she crossed her legs over one another. Elizabeth glanced at the woman.

"It's Elizabeth."

"What?" Ashlyn raised her head at the lass.

"You can call me Elizabeth. I know you said some hurtful things to me yesterday, but it made me realize some things. I hope you can forgive me."

Ashlyn leaned up. "Dear girl, it is me who should apologize. _I'm not_, I should, but I'm not." Elizabeth smiled. "But I'll accept your apology. I must ask, though, the _entire _Royal Navy?"

The woman let out a laugh as she dropped her head into her lap.

"I might have gotten a little overzealous."

"_Little!_"

A comfortable air of silence grew between the two. The Governor's daughter gazed out onto the horizon as she listened to the soft waves rise up the beach as fire crackled behind. Hancock had her eyes closed as she bathed in the sun above her, waiting.

"Can I ask you a question?"

Ashlyn didn't bother to open her eyes at the young woman. "Just did, but go ahead."

"Why would you wanna see Commodore Norrington all roughed up and rugged looking?"

Hancock's eyes flashed opened to see the smiling dirty blonde lass leaning over her. She let out an awkward laugh towards the girl, trying to pinpoint if she ever said anything to the girl but came up with nothing.

"I've no idea what you're talking about."

"No? I assume so, you did wake up in a drunken stupor and complained to me how _I'll_ be the one seeing the Commodore all roughed up and rugged when I married him."

Ashlyn sat up, a smile was doing its best to reveal itself but she fought against it. The young lass broadened her grin as she noticed the pink rising on her face. A Hancock and the Captain Cutthroat. The scourge of the seven seas blushing by mentioning the Commodore.

"Doesn't sound like something I would say," she said to shield herself from the onslaught of words that were sure to fire from Elizabeth.

"Of course, of course. You know, it took me awhile to figure out who this _other person_ was talking about. Kept calling him, oh, what was it again?" She mocked confusion as Ashlyn rubbed her temples in protest. "Jamsey? No. Jame? That wasn't it-"

"Jamey," Ashlyn answered the girl, annoyed and highly embarrassed with her drunken self.

"_Jamey!_ That was it!" Elizabeth snickered as she snapped her fingers and nudged the woman with her elbow. "I never would have guessed that a Hancock would fancy a Commodore, no less a Norrington."

"Yes, yes, I know. It's all complicated, but I _don't_ fancy him," Ashlyn nudged back with more force, causing the woman to fall over.

"Sure sounded like it."

"_Well, I don't."_

"You two would make an attractive couple."

Ashlyn had opened her mouth to make a quip about her and Will's situation, but paused at the lass' words. Elizabeth's humored face morphed to one of worries. Concern flew through her and she hoped she didn't overstep with all her jokes.

"_Really?_ I mean, how? I'm- I'm a monster while he's an honorable man. His duty is to the Crown! Can't get much nobler than that and I- I have everything I could ever need: gold to last for lifetimes, a reputation around the world, power and freedom to do anything I want. I don't need some _man" _she spat the word, "to take that all away from me."

Elizabeth stayed quiet at the pirate's rant. The Captain of the _Marauder_ kicked some sand in frustration and apologized to the girl. It wasn't really anything Miss Swann had said, it was only some pent-up emotions escaping her.

The young lass smirked. "You said you have a lot of power."

"I guess, why?"

"Well, I don't know about you, _my Queen_," she did her best curtsy while sitting. "But that's a little pompous."

Ashlyn smiled at the mock. Certainly something she saw coming as she called the girl 'princess.'

"King, actually. A Queen doesn't really do anything except gain the King advantages. If I were to pursue my blood, I'd be prefered as King."

"Pursue your blood? Like your great-grandfather and Queen Henrietta Maria?"

Ashlyn nodded her head in confirmation, though it seemed unconvincing. Elizabeth looked at the female pirate. Green-blue eyes looked distracted as she looked off to the horizon. It was then that Elizabeth noticed the small scar on her right brow, its presence creating a space between hairs. Her nose scrunched at the heavy smell of smoke. Strands of her hair flickered in front of her face, but she didn't bother to move the annoyances.

She looked _free_.

"I don't want to marry the Commodore."

Miss Swann's statement caught Ashlyn off board as she turned toward the lass.

"You said he was a good man."

"Oh, he is. A true gentleman with a good heart. But _I_ want to marry for love, not duty."

"I'm sure that if James is a true gentleman, he'll understand if you were to tell him."

"Maybe, but I don't want to disappoint my father. I'm the only thing he has left of mum and he wants the best for me."

"A father who wants the best for his daughter would never want to upset her. Learning that his actions will be doing so will make him realize that what he _thought _was the best for you, is the worst. And he will rectify it."

"Rectify what?" Jack's voice came from nowhere. The women didn't noticed the male pirate returning. An irritated huff on his lips.

"Nothing," Ashlyn spoke up so Elizabeth wouldn't have too and stood to face the obviously peeved man. "Something a matter with you?"

Jack glared at Miss Swann as he turned around and grabbed his and Ashlyn's boots, swords, coats, and the latter's corset. Elizabeth stood at the sight of Jack carrying a pile of items before dropping them in front of the two.

"Here," Jack stated as he began dressing himself with his boots.

"I don't follow," Ashlyn informed as she grabbed her now dried corset and shook the sand off it with a raised brow.

Jack mumbled some sort of answer, though it was unintelligible.

"I'm sorry, what?" Elizabeth questioned.

Sparrow grumbled once more.

Ashlyn rolled her eyes. "Speak up, Jacky!"

"There's a Navy ship off the coast!" he whined like some child.

* * *

_**HMS Dauntless'**_** Deck**

* * *

The pirates sat next to one another on the longboat as Elizabeth was seated farthest away from them. It was relatively quiet amongst the group of sailors as they glared at Jack and Ashlyn -who made sure to put a friendly smile on. Once aboard the large Navy ship, Elizabeth was barely on board when she was hugged by her father. The man looked as if he was about to cry once seeing the girl.

Sparrow and Hancock were placed under Officers Murtogg and Mullroy's supervision, as to not escape. Jack was quietly seething in his place. Murtogg asked about Ashlyn's leg and she told him that it was fine and otherwise doesn't hold the grudge of him accidentally shooting her; much to his relief.

Ashlyn made eye contact with the Commodore. A small smile being created as the man nodded in acknowledgement towards her before he tore his eyes away.

The happy reunion between father and daughter as she recited everything that has happened, save for a few details -such as her conversations with the arrested pirates- came to an end as the Governor stated that they will be leaving.

"But we've got to save Will!" Elizabeth began.

"No!" Her father protested as he walked past his daughter to stand beside Norrington. "You're safe now. We will return to Port Royal immediately and not go _gallivanting _after pirates!"

"Then we condemn him to death."

"The boy's fate is regrettable, but then so was his decision to engage in piracy."

Ashlyn could only roll her eyes at Swann's defense.

"To rescue me! To prevent anything from happening to me!"

Jack quickly grabbed Ashlyn's arm as he had them walk out of their placed spot next to Elizabeth. The Officers followed. "If I may be so bold as to inject our professional opinion," Jack stated as he approached the sighing Commodore. "The Pearl was listing near to scuppers after the battle. It's very unlikely she'll be able to make good time. Think about it."

Norrington glanced at Ashlyn, a brow raised in disbelief toward the man. Ashlyn could only shake her head and Jack's actions. She knew exactly what he was trying to do, and it wasn't going to work.

"The Black Pearl," Jack continued his attempt in manipulating James' inner 'greedy monster' as Jack once put it. "One of the last _real _pirate threat in the Caribbean, mate. How can you pass that up, right?" Jack grinned in confidence.

"By remembering that I serve others, Mister Sparrow. Not only myself," James responded with a stern look before turning to walk up the stern deck.

Ashlyn quickly placed her head above Jack's shoulders. "You'll do well to remember that the Commodore is an honorable man, Jacky."

The Governor pointed a finger at Ashlyn and nodded in agreement. "That he is." Ashlyn smiled at Jack's eye roll.

Miss Swann moved the pirates aside as she rushed behind the Commodore, thinking of ways to convince the man. "Commodore, I beg you, please do this. For me," Elizabeth stopped at the stairs' start. Her next words causing James to turn in surprise and Ashlyn drop her jaw. "As a wedding gift."

"Elizabeth," her father neared her with a smile. "Are you accepting the Commodore's proposal?"

"I am," she stated assertively.

Ashlyn whacked her head against the back of Jack's shoulder. _She just bloody said that she didn't want to marry the man and now she is to save Will _bloody _Turner!_ Ashlyn internally vowed to herself to stand by her words. Love is an ignorant and dangerous weakness.

Jack raised a brow at the action before stepping forward in built-up cheer.

"A wedding! I love weddings! Drinks all around!" He piped up, ruining the supposedly soft and lovely moment. Ashlyn could only thank Jack for doing so and she wanted to slap herself for thinking it. If only she could rip out her hurt as to not feel anything anymore; emotions are complicated and Ashlyn was hating them now.

"I know," Jack said as he looked at the conflicted-looking Commodore. He raised his hands out. "'Clap him in irons,' right?"

Norrington slowly walked down a step or two. "Mister Sparrow, you will l accompany these fine men to the helm and provide us with a bearing to Isla de Muerta. You will then spend the rest of the voyage contemplating all possible meanings of the phrase 'silent as the grave.' Do I make myself clear?"

"Inescapably clear." Jack gave a polite smile before being grabbed by Murtogg and forced up the stairs. Mullroy kept his hold on Ashlyn, confused as to why he wasn't ordered to bring her down to the brig yet.

Ashlyn loudly cleared her throat, successfully gaining the Governor's, Elizabeth's, and the Commodore's attention. "And, uh, what will I be doing?"

The Governor gave a chuckle. "Why, you'll be taken to the brig, of course."

"Father!" Elizabeth disapproved before addressing the Commodore. "Her bandages need changing or her wound will grow infected."

"Why should he care?" Her father interjected.

"Please, Commodore," Elizabeth ignored her father. "She'll be useful to have around, I swear."

"Very well," he nodded. "Officer, please take Miss Hancock to my Quarters and fetch the doctor. Afterwards, she will join Mister Sparrow at the helm."

Mullroy nodded and did so.

Governor Swann stepped before Norrington. "Commodore, I must question the wisdom of this-"

"With all due respect, Governor. . . Mister Turner is a subject of the British Crown and therefore under _my _protection."

The older man nodded to his reasoning. "Rightly so," he glanced at Elizabeth. "Take care of her," he stated before walking up onto the stern deck.

Norrington turned to the lass. "Elizabeth." He held his arm out for her to take, and she reluctantly did so. He led her to the port side of the ship. "I'm concerned that your answer was, perhaps. . . less than sincere."

"I would not give my word lightly," she responded.

"Yes, I understand. . . but is it so wrong that I should want it given _unconditionally_."

Elizabeth sighed. "It is not a condition, it is a request. Your answer will not change mine. You are a fine man, Jamey- _James."_ Her eyes widened at her mistake and she watched Norrington's face twist into confusion before realizing what she had said. He turned to her with a raised brow and a small lifted side of his lip.

"Jamey? The only person who calls me that is Miss Hancock."

She let out a forced laugh. "Really? You two must be close. _Ah, that's not what I meant._ I misspoke, excuse me-"

"Did you speak about me to her at some point?" The smile that fought to show on the man's face prevailed.

Miss Swann could only smirk at his clear entertainment.

She quickly developed a plan in her head to see if the man fancied the pirate like she had done with said pirate on the beach. She hoped it would work. "It was more of _her _talking about you, if I'm being honest. Something about being all rugged, or the like."

Norrington let out a low chuckle as he switched his gaze to the horizon, though began to cough as to cover it. However, Elizabeth kept her eye on him and she was sure to notice the pink rising in his cheeks.

"She's a fine woman," Elizabeth daringly tacked on.

The man froze and turned toward her.

"Why would you say that?"

Elizabeth quickly came up with something to defend herself. "Compared to Mister Sparrow, she isn't as annoying or bad. She's nicer and honorable. Reminds me a bit of you."

"She's a _criminal_, Miss Swann."

Elizabeth let out a sigh and spoke the truth. She's grown tired of this social hierarchy. "And who's there to say that all pirates can't be bad? She's honest and strong and can take care of herself, but she's also vulnerable, though she never admits so. She spoke of you like you were some savior to her. Not a single negative word came through her lips when the topic was of you."

Miss Swann nodded her head and walked to stand beside her father.

James remained motionless as he pondered Miss Swann's words and the situation involving them.

The doors to the Commodore's Quarters opened. James turned at the sound and saw the doctor and Ashlyn Hancock stepped outside and shake hands. The elderly medical man gave a laugh from something the smiling woman said as he placed a hand on her shoulder affectionate before taking off. Norrington noticed the new bandage wrapped around her leg, as well as the new additions to her outfit.

New black trousers, tied to her waist with her dirtied white sash. Her old scuffed up boots remained the same, as was her corset. As well, her sandied black overcoat and grey undershirt was replaced with a clean blue Naval jacket overtop a loose white shirt.

Norrington's eyes met her own and he flushed at the fact that she caught him watching her.

Ashlyn smirked as she escorted herself up the stern deck where Sparrow was. Officer Mullroy hurried behind to catch up to her. She integrated herself into the group of her fellow pirate, Lieutenants Gillette and Groves, Governor Swann, his daughter, the Navigator, and the Quartermaster.

But no matter how many people were crowded there, James could only watch Ashlyn.


	15. Chapter 14

**A/N: I do not own any characters, plot lines, or any other details that are apart of this narrative -that all belongs to the childhood castle that is Disney and the creators behind the Pirates of the Caribbean series. I only own my character/s and their actions into the story. Thank you!**

* * *

**THE LEGACY OF A PIRATE**

_CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL_

_Chapter 14_

'_It's The Persistent Ones That Get Ya'_

_**An HMS Dauntless**_** Longboat**

**Off the Coast Of Isla de Muerta**

**1728**

** Over** the course of the journey to Isla de Muerta, Ashlyn felt tense to be aboard a Naval ship, constantly surrounded by Naval Officers that gave her dirty looks; mostly from Lieutenant Phillip Gillette. She tried to occupy her time with conversing with Miss Swann, but the Governor made it so the two wouldn't be able to be anywhere close to one another. Elizabeth was annoyed with the interruptions, but learned to deal with them.

Due to this development, Ashlyn occupied her time with annoying the Commodore and amusing Jack. She didn't know _exactly _how to get to Isla de Muerta like Jack did (Even though he used his compass). She's only been there one time, but she was as sure as Calypso not going to tell anyone.

Ashlyn amused herself by making snarky comments here and there under her breathe. This had gained a laugh from one of Norrington's Lieutenants; Theodore Groves.

If Norrington wasn't around, Groves was. The young man was much more open-minded to pirates than the other Officers. His fascination and constant questions about the Hancock family made the two grow acquainted. Ashlyn had been reluctant at first -him being a Navy man and all- but Groves proved to be a persistent lad.

Ashlyn was told sailing stories of a younger James, much to the man's displeasure. He was an arrogant boy who believed himself better than everyone else. That was until he was put in his place by his superior officer, who also happened to be his father. Afterwards he dedicated his life to prove his father wrong, that he was, in fact, a respectable Naval man. And he did.

There was an obvious connection between James and Ashlyn that not only concerned Jack. Gillette was more vexed than anyone about Ashlyn joking around with the Commodore and his Lieutenant, like she wasn't their prisoner but rather a guest.

Governor Swann wasn't particularly fond of their interactions either -like they were old friends. However, when he saw just how joyful his daughter was watching the pirate and Commodore, he eventually relaxed a bit. James knew how to care for himself, he can certainly handle a charismatic pirate or two.

It was dark when the _Dauntless_ arrived at the heavily fogged island of death. Jack was somehow able to convince the Commodore of a plan he had in mind. Anchor the _Dauntless_, row his men out, and storm into the caves to ambush Barbossa and his men. However, Ashlyn was worried and had confronted Jack about possibly revealing the curse, having noticed that no one -even Elizabeth- spoke of its existence. Sparrow had calmed the woman's nerves by telling her of his actual plan with being allowed to talk to Barbossa and convince him and his crew to set an ambush for Norrington's men, and _they_ would actually ambush _them_.

Now, the two pirates and some Officers sat in Norrington's longboat, Groves and Gillette were in charge of their own longboat and the men aboard. Others had unknown high ranking Officers.

Ashlyn sat beside the Commodore and watched as James used his scope to check out the deck of the _Pearl_. Not a single person being seen up top.

"I don't care for the situation," James spoke up in concern for his men. "Any attempt to storm the caves could turn to an ambush."

Jack, who sat behind the man with Mullroy and Murtogg, leaned in close between the Commodore and Ashlyn; a hand laid on top of both their shoulders. "Not if you're the one doing the ambushing. Me and Ash go in and convince Barbossa to send his men out with their little boats. You and your mates return to the Dauntless and blast the bejesus out of them with your little cannons, aye. What do you have to lose?"

James glared at the _Pearl_ while Jack proposed his plan. He used his scope to gently remove Jack's hand upon his shoulder. "Nothing I'd lament being rid of."

"Now, to be quite honest with you," Jack began, tapping the Commodore's shoulder. "There's still a slight risk to those aboard the Dauntless which includes the future Miss Commodore."

Hancock rolled her eyes as she released a deep breath, having wanted to forget all about that terrible situation. _Terrible _for Elizabeth, of course. For Elizabeth.

Ashlyn swiftly, and quite harshly, shrugged off the hand Jack still had on her. She knew it was all part of the process for his plan, making sure that Elizabeth didn't interfere with it, but she was peeved nonetheless. "Princess can handle her own, Jack. It's her soft father I worry about. The man can't tell which end of a blade he should hold."

The ever gentleman that Norrington was side-eyed the pirate, not questioning her words, before sending Gillette back to the ship with his men to protect Miss Swann.

One Officer returned back with the longboat and hopped in Norrington's boat as Jack and Ashlyn were given permission to speak to Barbossa. While Jack was glad for his plan to slowly come together, Ashlyn was not. She was worried about the welfare of James and his men, more just Groves. They didn't know the truth of the curse and if something were to go wrong, that information would be valuable to know.

It was then when Ashlyn informed everyone that she won't be joining Jack and rather go back to the _Dauntless _with Norrington_._ Sparrow's face blanked from emotion as he stared at her. After a few moments, it was beginning to grow awkward and uncomfortable between the pirates as Ashlyn refused to back down from his stare.

It was Norrington that intervened.

"I suggest, Mister Sparrow, that you are quick to row."

Jack squinted his eyes at the man and did so. His mumbling complaints being heard through the winds even when the pirate disappeared into the fog.

Sparrow now had to rethink certain aspects of his plan with Ashlyn not being with him. Originally he had her be an unknown surprise advantage for him to kill many of the mutinous crew, but Will ruined that when he knocked Jack out in the caverns. This time he was going to have her hide underwater behind the gold pile and state that she died from. . . something, before popping up to save Will as he distracted Barbossa. _But now that's ruined because of her _bloody _emotions._

* * *

**Caverns Of Isla de Muerta**

* * *

The chanting from Barbossa's men was louder up close, Jack realized. He casually moved through the crowd, saying his apologies as he approached the pile of gold that Barbossa, Twigg, Koehler, and Will were on. Whenever Jack passed by men, their chanting slowed to a stop at the sight of him. He could hear Barbossa reciting the ritualistic words.

"By blood-" he paused at the sight of Sparrow. Everyone's chanting came to an end.

Will raised his head to see the pirate, and he's never been more glad to see him. "Jack!"

"S'not possible," Barbossa spoke in disbelief.

Jack continued his way through the crew. "Not probable," he corrected.

Will shrugged himself up from his bent position in concern. "Where's Elizabeth?"

"And where be Hancock?" Barbossa added.

Sparrow went to walk up the pile, only to be stopped by Bo'sun's hand on his shoulder. He could see why Norrington didn't like Jack's hand on him now.

"Elizabeth's safe, just like I promised. Returned to her father, just as Ash promised; who is, with Norrington. Elizabeth's all set to marry said man, just like she promised." Will scrunched his face at the news. "And you get to die for her, just like _you _promised. So we're all men of our men, really. Except for Elizabeth and Ashyln, who are, in fact, women."

"Shut up!" Barbossa aggravatingly yelled at him. "You're next."

Will was bent forward over the opened chest by Twigg and Koehler once more. Barbossa brandished his knife and placed it on the lad's neck, ready to rid this curse.

"You don't want to be doing that, mate," Jack interrupted.

Barbossa turned to the dreadlocked man. "No, I really think I do," he sarcastically replied.

Jack raised his arms slightly and crossed them together. "Your funeral."

The undead Captain rolled his eyes, an itch in the back of his head telling him to listen to his former Captain. He leaned up and faced Jack. _"Why_ don't I want to be doing it?"

"Well because," Sparrow went to move forward but was stopped by Bo'sun once again. He slapped the hand off him and walked up the gold. "Because the HMS Dauntless, _pride _of the Royal Navy, is floating. . . just offshore, _waiting for you." _

All of the undead crew gasped at the information.

* * *

**Longboats**

* * *

Any other pirate that was surrounded by Royal Navy Officers would fear for their life, but Ashlyn looked quite comfortable in her spot. She turned toward the Commodore with a forced smile on her lips.

"It's been some time, shall we go back to the Dauntless, Jamey?"

Commodore Norrington sighed as he locked eyes with her. "We won't be."

The smile on her face instantly dropped. "Why not?"

James didn't answer her as he looked through the telescope once more at the _Pearl_. Ashlyn scooted herself closer to the man and lowered the scope for him to look directly at her. Her facial features were tight as her jaw clenched at the man. James didn't like the look as he gazed into her darkened sea eyes.

"The plan _will_ work. But _we have _to sail back to the Dauntless and wait for Barbossa's men." Ashlyn gripped hard onto the telescope, concern rose through her at the thought of all the possibilities if they didn't. "Pistols and swords _won't _work, but the cannons will!"

Norrington tilted his head at her words. "Why wouldn't pistols and swords work?"

The woman shook her head and looked out toward the foggy water in thought. Her emotions will ruin the plan if she wasn't careful. Jack's plans always worked, but this one _had _to work. Good men would die if not. Ashlyn was beginning to regret her decisions to befriend the Officers, even if that number was small.

Her grandfather, Thornton, always said to befriend all those she meets, as she would never know when her kindness repays her. But it's been a long while since she's listened to his advice, or even the Code. As Captain Cutthroat, she did her own thing and made up her own rules, all in order to survive and please her boss. Now that she's run from that stage in her life, she intended to do better. A good way to start was by following the Pirate Code and go back to following the guidelines that Lionheart gave her.

"What we doing here?" Murtogg asked Mullroy next to him. Ashlyn mockingly raised a brow and gave the standing Commodore a pointed look. James glanced down at the woman and sighed, having heard Murtogg and knowing exactly what she was thinking.

Mullroy leaned closer to his friend. "The pirates come out, unprepared and unawares. We catch them in a crossfire, and _send them down to see Old Hob._"

"I know _why _we're here. _I meant, _why aren't we doing what he wants- what Mister Sparrow said we should do, with the cannons and all?" Murtogg questioned.

"Because it was Mister Sparrow who said it," James voiced to the annoying men with a roll of his eyes. Ashlyn would have laughed at the snark if the situation wasn't what it actually was.

"Oh, because we're pirates you're not going to listen to me and Jack," Ashlyn stated to Norrington while the two Officers conversed behind them about Jack telling them the truth or not. The man closed his eyes and inclined his head towards the sky. "Don't be like that, _Commodore_."

"Be like what, exactly? I am a Commodore of the Royal Navy and you are a criminal of the Crown. I should have you arrested."

"_Yeah? And why don't you?"_

James sighed and sat down beside the woman. He cleared his throat. "Miss Hancock, I need you to understand-"

"I understand, all right. I get that once this is all over that I'm going to be arrested and put to trial and be found guilty and be sent to a short drop and a sudden stop." Norrington flashed his eyes at her at the words she just spoke. The very same ones he once spoke to a young Elizabeth years ago. "But I _need _you to trust Jack and his plan."

A soft light suddenly filled the sky. The clouds that had previously covered the full moon whisked away and gave everything a blue glow. Norrington noticed the heightened blue in Ashlyn's eyes, surpassing the green specks.

"I could _never _trust Captain Jack _Sparrow,"_ he spat out. His face contorted into disgust, like his answer was obvious in the first place.

Ashlyn flinched at his words. She immediately straightened her back and shifted herself further away from the man. James internally cursed at himself. Her eyes begged the Commodore to _just _listen to her.

If someone were to inform him that he would feel guilty for hurting a _Hancock's _feelings years ago, he would have laughed. But now, here, where that very situation had happened only seconds ago, he wasn't.

James felt his wind chilled hand grow warm. He looked down at it. In a last chance effort, Ashlyn grabbed ahold of the hand on his knee and squeezed it. The Commodore's eyes widened at the pirate's actions. The callouses on her hands were rough against his skin. He saw the small cuts on her hand that his sailors were accustomed too. James rotated his held hand to hold hers as he made eye contact with the woman. Her pleading eyes dove into his own green ones as her hand tightened.

"If you won't trust Jack. Jamey, please, _trust me."_

"I-"

A bell rang.

Commodore Norrington whipped around at the noise. On the _Dauntless_, shots were fired throughout the ship. Now that the bell alarmed the rest of the Naval men, Barbossa's undead crew threw out the stealth strategy and began to reign chaos amongst the Officers onboard. Only one thing came to James' mind.

He should've listened to Ashlyn sooner.

"_Make for the ship! Move!"_

* * *

**A/N: Just one chapter today, folks. We're coming to an end in Book One and I'm in the process of making Two. I wanna stretch this out as long as possible so I could get a decent head start for Two. Procrastination is a hard thing to overcome lol. Thank you for your reviews once again! Love y'all!**


	16. Chapter 15

**A/N: I do not own any characters, plot lines, or any other details that are apart of this narrative -that all belongs to the childhood castle that is Disney and the creators behind the Pirates of the Caribbean series. I only own my character/s and their actions into the story. Thank you!**

* * *

**THE LEGACY OF A PIRATE**

_CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL_

_Chapter 15_

'_Redemption's First Step'_

_**An HMS Dauntless**_** Longboat**

**Off the Coast Of Isla de Muerta**

**1728**

**All **Naval longboats rowed toward the ambushed _Dauntless_ faster than any that Ashlyn has seen. And she's seen a lot of them. Norrington's boat led the charge back as he yelled out determined commands. Barbossa's men began shooting off the _Dauntless'_ cannons towards them.

It seems that the people in Jack's plan had switched positions.

"Was this part of Sparrow's ploy?!" Norrington interrogated as he ducked beside Ashlyn as a cannon shot near them.

"You think Jack would leave me in this situation if he knew this would happen?!" She yelled back.

"Well-"

"_No,_ he wouldn't!"

The Commodore ordered his men to align themselves closer to him. This was due to their position in between the cannons. Ashlyn could admire the fact that Norrington knew his ship's weakness and used it to his own advantage. One never knows when the tides would change like this.

The Naval longboats arrived at the ship. Officers threw their hooked ropes and climbed aboard the ship with Norrington's orders. Ashlyn Hancock joined just behind the man.

Once onboard, a skeleton charged at the surge of Naval men. James brandished his pistol and shot the undead pirate directly in the head. Instead of falling onto the deck with barely a face in tact, the skeleton continued his charge with renewed rage. Ashlyn took action and was quick to unseathe her sword and cut off his boned-arm. His sword dropped, along with the arm connected to it's grip. She kicked his ribcage and knocked him onto the ground. Ashlyn turned back to a wide-eyed James as he watched the skeletal pirates.

"Pistols and swords don't work, you say?"

"Aye, they won't kill," Ashlyn responded as she parried an oncoming undead pirate and tripped him overboard the ship.

A skeletal Koehler appeared in front of the two as he glared at them before running at Norrington. The Commodore swiftly fought the pirate as Ashlyn separated from him. James wanted to follow the pirate. Not because he didn't trust her, no, because he wanted to protect her. Enemies surrounded them, but they were not mortal men. Skeletons that were unaffected by sword and gun. And a gentleman always protected a lady.

However, from the corner of his eye, he could see Ashlyn walk through the crowds of skeletons and red-coats. She parried and dodged with ease, stopping occasionally to fight oncoming undead pirates that dared to challenge her. Hancock did her best to save as many Officers as she passed; aiding them in disarming (quite literally), knocking over, or decapitating the skeletons.

Ashlyn saw a hatless Gillette standing upon the platform around the mast. He threw a hooked pulley toward a tall undead man_._ The pulley was dodged by him and he began to slowly approach the Lieutenant. The man may have hated the female pirate, but she could see the fear of death in his eyes as he silently began to pray to anyone who listened.

"_Bo'sun!"_ Ashlyn shouted.

The undead pirate paused in his walk toward Gillette and turned toward the one who called him. His teeth, though shown under the moonlight, seemed to smile as he faced the glaring woman who stalked toward him.

"Hancock."

The woman smirked as she walked up the deck. She opened her arms in wait, unafraid of the possibility of any undead pirates that were to approach her. She seemed entirely out of place. Captain Cutthroat, an enemy of the Crown, wearing the outfit of those who serve under it. A ruthless killer of twenty-four Naval crews, now upon one and ready to die on the _Dauntless_.

She began to bounce in her step, adrenaline pumping through her and excitement rising. _This _was the fight she's been waiting for; the one Jack promised that would set things right. A sword fight may seem menial, but for Hancock. This would be the start of fighting for _herself _-not her boss.

"You wanna know what makes me special?!" Ashlyn called out in taunt.

Bo'sun grunted in response as he raised his sword. A war-cry ready to fall from his lips. Ashlyn waved her sword around to show-off her skill of control with the weapon. She smiled at his glare.

"_Come and find out."_

The two pirates lunged at one another. Sharpened swords clashing furiously. Bo'sun slashed his sword to her side. His strength was his advantage over Ashlyn, and he was going to use it. His powerful swing was just barely blocked, having just enough strength to hold her sword against his. On the other hand, speed was her advantage. She rotated their swords and dived under his swing. Ashlyn sliced her sword into his boned-leg, a clean cut showing on his femur.

He gave a growl.

Bo'sun used his leg to kick Hancock in the face. She fell onto the deck and leaned herself up. The smell of rusted metal filled her senses and she wiped her upper lip. Blood was gathered on her hand and she gave a laugh, her nose burned at the action. Ashlyn got herself up, ignoring the sudden nausea and the feeling of her head being cracked in two, and the enemy pirates were fighting once again. Bo'sun kept on the offensive, not letting her have a chance to attack back as she dodged left and right.

Stepping backwards to avoid his powerful slashes was difficult, having to keep an eye on the undead man and where she was heading. A crew member of Barbossa's ran by. Ashlyn jumped back and pushed the running skeleton into Bo'sun, who was quick to rid the pirate off him. His distraction allowed Ashlyn to gain the offensive side. Her speed and accuracy to his spinal area made Bo'sun slow. She gave one determined swing to his spinal cord and rotating the blade. The disk cracked as it rose, beginning to separate. Bo'sun let out a loud guttural shout.

His blade came toward her side and she went to block it, but her sword remained stuck in his bones. She was cut heavily under her rib and she let out a pained scream. Ashlyn fell onto the deck, her sword falling with her as all her weight leaned on it. She could just feel the pain as she raised a hand toward the gash. Certainly a new scar would come if she lived long enough for it to heal.

Ashlyn looked up at Bo'sun after she spat out blood and swallowed the bile that rose in her. She raised a brow at the sight of his confused fleshed face as he looked around the ship. She wasn't sure if it was her imagination or if Jack was able to undo the curse, but this seemed her last opportunity of attack. Ashlyn made sure she was silent, as everyone else on the ship was, save for the groans of sudden pain. She struggled to stand, but lifted her cutlass and slashed at the back of Bo'sun's knee. He muffled his agony as his entire being fell onto his knees with a thump.

The first thing he felt in over ten years was complete torture.

The wounded Hancock was adamant in ignoring her side that felt on fire, and leaned down beside Bo'sun's ear. Her sword seemed to naturally rise to the middle of his throat in threat. She could hear the large breathe Bo'sun sucked in at the feeling of the sharp blade. Ashlyn closed her eyes and stepped away, her blade backing off from his neck. She was not that monster anymore.

"You are annoying," Bo'sun spoke up.

Ashlyn put pressure on her temples, an attempt to temporarily stop the sudden ring in her head. Her face scrunched at the random comment made. "What?"

The large man on his knees turned his head toward the woman. "You do not stop. That must be why you are so _special," _he spewed out.

Swords and axes, daggers and pistols from across the _Dauntless _fell onto the deck in surrender. Their full moon curse had been broken and they were no match for the trained and disciplined Navy men.

Bo'sun's sword dropped among them.

"The ship is ours, gentlemen." Ashlyn heard Norrington state. The men raised their fists and swords as they all cheered together in victory.

Dizziness took over Ashlyn's head. She was unable to tell if she was moving or not. Her eyes saw meshes of color when they closed and starry black when they opened. She stumbled in her step and began to trip over her own feet and fall.

She was caught by someone's arms, though she didn't know who. Her eyes didn't exactly work properly at the moment. Hancock was lowered onto the deck slowly, her head softly brought down by hand. Her mind drifted in and out of consciousness; barely able to hear the concerned words being spoken above her.

"-Lyn, can you- lyn?"

She recognized that voice.

"_Jamey."_

* * *

_**HMS Dauntless**_

* * *

It seemed that this was the first time in weeks that Ashlyn was allowed to wake up on her own terms. There was no salt water splashed to the face and no annoying grunts or clinks of metal. The rocking of the ship she was on calmed her nerves, salt throughout the air warmed her senses, and the warm, soft bed beneath her embraced her tense muscles. Ashlyn moaned as she stretched her arms out, abruptly stopping as pain spread through her side.

"Careful."

Ashlyn opened her eyes at the voice. Green concerned orbs stared at the woman. She smiled as she was helped to sit up.

"Jamey," she stated.

The Commodore placed a few pillows behind the woman as she observed her location. The entire cabin was neatly organized, not a speck of dust could be found. She recognized the room for she's been here before.

"Captain's Quarters? Only the best for me?"

James sighed at her snark.

"You saved many of my men yesterday. I, and many others, believed it fair for you to rest up most comfortably."

"I've been asleep that long? In your bed? Jamey, must you be so generous! Where have you slept?"

"I took it upon myself to sleep right here." James patted the arms of the chair he sat in, the one moved beside the bed. Ashlyn raised a brow in disbelief to the Commodore. "I wanted to make sure you'd wake. The doctor said you lost a decent amount of blood from your wound."

Ashlyn nodded at his reasoning, though didn't fully understand why in all seven seas he'd sleep in a chair. She raised her baggy shirt and glanced at the wrap around her torso. Cotton material sticking out from the ends where her wound was located at. Ashlyn realized that the doctor must have dressed her in her original pirating clothes, now clean and brand new-like.

"He also said how unusual your healing is."

Ashlyn subconsciously grabbed onto her necklace's pendant and twirled the pale knight in her hand. She ran a finger over her the pearled chain and stopped over a black pearl, cold to the touch. Something that it wasn't the last time she held her necklace. Ashlyn dropped it and turned to James.

"Strange how?"

"It's almost healed completely after one day, though a scar will remain."

"I'm used to scars."

Ashlyn glanced around the room once again and saw the rest of her items laid upon the desk. Her weapons were cleaned and arranged straight on the desk, the jacket hung on the back of Norrington's chair, and her boots were polished beside the wooden furniture.

"I blush at what you've done, but I must ask, _why?" _Ashlyn asked curiously.

A monster didn't deserve such kind gestures of thanks. Plus, she didn't really_ do_ anything.

"My men are thankful for your help, even a reluctant Phillip."

"_Gillette?_ My God, how the tides have changed."

James let out a laugh. "Yes, indeed. Groves proposed the idea to polish and shine your effects. It was the least us sailormen can do."

"That was kind of you all. Especially Theo, he's a good lad. Speaking of good lads. What's the outcome of dear William?"

Norrington stood and walked toward the doors, looking through the windows as he spoke. "Mister Turner is all intact. He's going to be pardoned of his piracy by the Governor when we return. Your friend is down in the brig, he, and unfortunately you, will _not_ be pardoned. If you understand."

Ashlyn took in a deep breathe, weary of the pain in her side and the slight sting in her nose.

"I understand well, Jamey. Jack and I will dance with Jack Ketch in Port Royal," she sighed. Her back fell into the pillows behind her.

Norrington turned back toward the woman. He reinstated himself onto the chair again. His hand grabbed hers and squeezed to get her attention. She inclined her head toward the Commodore.

"I tried," James said, practically pleading for her to believe his words. "I tried to convince Governor Swann to pardon you but he was persistent to remain true to the law. He said that I was being manipulated. Reminded me that I once said 'a good deed does not redeem a man a lifetime of wickedness.' I know the truth, however. I'm not being manipulated by you, Lyn. It was all my choice. I've realized that in this black and white world, you seem to be neither."

"Right," she trailed off as she thought back to her past. In a black and white world of good versus bad, she was the monster living in the wicked. Not the grey, the inbetween Norrington believes her to be. She scratched the back of her neck looking for a change of subject. "Wait- you said Lyn?"

James froze at Ashlyn's catch. He didn't even know he called her that; it just came out so naturally. So caught up with his newfound realization that the nickname just flew from his mouth unseen and unfiltered. Norrington blushed.

"Well- I mean- since you call me by an atrocious version of my name, I guess it was only equal if I did the same back," he reasoned.

The pirate grinned at the flustered man before her. She tightened her grip on his hand.

"Oh, I have something of yours," James stated as he let go of her hands and dug into the inside of his coat. Ashlyn missed the feeling of his warm hands already.

He brandished a neatly folded letter._ Her letter._ James waved it in front of her with a smirk.

"I should let you know that I don't believe myself to be this so-called chicken."

Ashlyn chuckled, remembering what she wrote.

"You kept it."

"Yes," he nodded as he placed the letter back into his inner pocket. Ashlyn could only watch the man in fascination and silence. "Not sure why, however."

"If I've read anything wrong, do tell me before I get carried away," she cautioned, though Norrington didn't follow.

"Pardo-"

James was interrupted as Ashlyn pulled on his collar and connected their lips together. His wide eyes promptly shut as he indulged himself into the kiss. He reached up and delicately held Ashlyn's face in his hands, returning his own kiss happily. Hancock gripped tighter onto his collar. She smiled into the kiss. James furthered it with boyish eagerness and curiosity. He treated their kiss as if he was a philosopher searching for the meaning of life; and what a pleasant search it was.

A rush ran through Ashlyn. One more intense than when she had fought Bo'sun; not when Bo'sun was backing her into a corner, not when he slashed her on the side, and not even when he went for the final blow. Simply just the interactions between a Commodore and a pirate.

The doubts and worries that had gathered in the back of her mind had soon disappeared as the Commodore angled himself better. His hand repositioning behind her head and she sighed blissfully. Ashlyn felt as if she was floating on air rather than on water. It seemed that everything around the two disappeared, the only thing that mattered was them. There were very few men that Ashlyn had romantically kissed in her life -Jack included- but James topped them all.

Eventually though, the two separated in need of a few moments to breathe.

"I don't know what came over me," Ashlyn informed as her head rested against his. She chuckled, but James did not join her.

"Lyn, I-" she felt his warm breath on her lips. "I can't." He backed away from the disheartened woman, reaching for her hands. Guilt covered any emotion held previously in his eyes. "It's my duty to marry Miss Swann and you're. . ."

"Set to hang," Ashlyn finished for him with a sneer. She removed her hands from his grasps. "I don't need reminding."

She looked away from James' dispirited face and observed the bookshelf nearby. How perfectly ordered the books were by the author's name. How dust gathered certain novels while others have been opened recently. Anything to distract herself from him.

"No, Lyn. I-"

Ashlyn rolled her eyes.

"Have you ever done _anything_ that you wanted to do?!" She asked loudly, though kept her voice down enough so people outside the cabin couldn't hear. "Not for the Crown, not for the betterment of Port Royal, not for your duty as a Commodore, or even to please your father; just did something that _James bloody Norrington_ wanted to do."

She stared into his green eyes with hope in hers.

The man was speechless at her outburst. His mind reeled to answer her, for he was desperate too. Surely he's done _something_ out of his own pleasure in his lifetime. However, he was unable to come up with one action made from pure self-interest.

Norrington had joined the Navy because it was expected of him to do as a young man. He rose through the ranks to prove his father his worth and to make him proud. James proposed the idea of marriage to the Governor's daughter, as his duty to establish a good family -even if he genuinely did like Elizabeth.

Ashlyn took his silence as his answer and scoffed.

"What kind of life is that?"

James tilted his down down.

"Leave, Commodore. You can inform Mister Sparrow that I am all bandaged and rested and need not to worry. The only person who shall visit me for now on shall be Doctor Nathaniel."

"Lyn-" he tried once more.

"_Only _Doctor Nathaniel."

James cleared his throat and stood. His hands were brought behind his back professionally. He nodded in understanding to her requests before leaving the cabin, but not before taking a second glance at Hancock.

The annoyed woman crossed her arms as the doors shut.

"How could you be _so _blind?" She grumbled to herself. Ashlyn slammed her head into the pillows behind her. Seasalt and a hint of flowery vanilla filled her senses. Ashlyn was promptly reminded of James.

She threw the pillow to the other side of the room.

A soft clank drew her attention.

The sound was quiet, only a trained ear would be able to hear the sound. Ashlyn stood from the bed, her hand grabbing onto her burning side. She struggled to lean down and pick the pillow up. The pirate observed the pillow's edges and noticed a small cut disguised with the seams. She ripped the entry large enough for her hand to enter and searched for the object that made the noise. Ignoring the soft feathers and cotton, her hand grasped onto chilled metal and pulled it out. What came to view was the blade from a bayonet, though cut to be shorter.

Easy to carry. Easy to conceal. Easy to use.


	17. Chapter 16

**A/N: I do not own any characters, plot lines, or any other details that are apart of this narrative -that all belongs to the childhood castle that is Disney and the creators behind the Pirates of the Caribbean series. I only own my character/s and their actions into the story. Thank you!**

* * *

**THE LEGACY OF A PIRATE**

_CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL_

_Chapter 16_

'_We Are Who We Are'_

**Port Royal, Jamaica**

**Fort Charles**

**1728**

**Drums** were beat as the ceremony began. The crowd that had gathered around them were both rich and poor. Men and women stood in wait. Kids on their parents' shoulders for a better view. Ashlyn was disgusted with the sight. They all dressed in their most elegant gowns and most proper uniforms. All staring at the two pirates. The residents of Port Royal squinted to see because of the bright sun, but they never turned their gaze away.

In the fort's opening tunnel, the Swanns and the Commodore stood closest to the shade. Elizabeth donned a beautiful French dress. Unlike the impatient faces around her, hers did not match the ones around her. The Governor wore his most proper jacket and feathered hat, a proud smirk on his face. Norrington stood with his hands behind his back. His face remained neutral, though a slight frown was adorned.

His eyes were on the female pirate.

Jack and Ashlyn stood atop the newly built platform with their hands bound in front of them. Ashlyn was forced to stand just behind Jack and beside the executioner. Her hands were flat against one another in a downward prayer position. However, praying was far from what those hands were doing for they concealed the flat blade she found. Having been alone in the Captain's Quarters, Ashlyn made sure to sharpen the edges to make sure they'd cut through rope within a few moments.

Jack stood before the single noose. Sparrow stared at the platform's edge lost in thought. Of what, Ashlyn did not know. Ashlyn's posture remained most formal. Back straight, shoulders wide, and head held forward. Her eyes wandered the crowd and her surroundings as she thought strategically.

A man with two large scrolls in his hands walked up the platform and made sure to stand some way from the pirates. The well-dressed man waited for a few moments before opening one.

"Jack Sparrow," the Official began reading off. "Be it known that you have been charged-"

The male pirate rolled his eyes. "Captain. _Captain_ Jack Sparrow," he complained to himself. Ashlyn gave a small smirk.

"Makes no difference, you're not really one anymore."

The executioner turned his head toward the woman and ordered her to stop talking. She rolled her eyes, unfazed of the supposed intimidating black-masked man.

"-for your willful commission of crimes against the crown. Said crimes being numerous in quantity and sinister in nature. The most egregious of these to be cited herewith. Piracy, smuggling-"

Jack spoke up with a slight turn to address the woman. "Makes total difference. See if they knew you were Cap-"

Ashlyn glared at the dreadlocked man and threw her head to the side, gesturing the executioner. Jack sighed and faced forward as he continued. "That you were, _you know,_ they'd refer you to it and won't forget the 'Captain' part. And I am a Captain"

The Official proceeded to his list of Jack's crimes. "Impersonating an officer of the Spanish Royal Navy."

"That sounds fun," Ashlyn spoke up for Jack to hear. "And where's that ship of yours you're captaining currently?"

"Impersonating a cleric of the church of England."

Jack inclined his head in memory of said crime and chuckled. He turned his head to Ashlyn, "Obeying your _lovely _Code." The masked man glared at Jack, who grimaced at the man and obeyed his silent orders.

"Sailing under false colors, arson, kidnapping, looting, poaching, brigandage, pilfering, depravity, depredation, and general lawlessness. And for these crimes, you have been sentenced to be, on this day, hung by the neck until dead. May God have mercy on your soul," the Official finished off and rolled up the scroll. He held up the other though didn't open it yet.

The executioner moved forward and forced Jack to step closer to the noose. He placed the rope around Jack's neck. Meanwhile, Ashlyn began using the blade to cut her bound hands. The drums were beat loud and quick in anticipation to create suspension. Hancock made sure to use small movements, none big enough to grab anyone's attention. At first glance, Ashlyn looked as if she was repositioning to get comfortable.

The executioner, all covered in leather, grabbed ahold of the lever just as women's screams came from the crowd.

"Move!" Yelled a familiar voice from the crowd.

The lever was pulled and Jack fell down the trapped door just as Ashlyn freed herself from the ropes. She noticed Jack had stopped short and saw a well-dressed William in the middle of the open crowd.

As Turner ran up the platform and began to fight with the executioner with his axe, Ashlyn ran to Jack and began cutting the noose. She moved out of the way as the fighting two came close, but Will repositioned themselves away for Ashlyn to continue her work. Jack struggled to balance upon the thrown blade.

"Ash!" Will called out as his sword flung from his grasp. Ashlyn ducked under the swinging axe as it hit the noose's holding rope. Jack fell through the trap door and onto the ground.

"That was easier," Ashlyn muttered to herself. A mutual thinking came between the blacksmith and female pirate as they both charged at the large man and pushed him off the platform. _Right _onto the oncoming Commodore. "Apologizes Jamey!" Ashlyn laughed.

The two ran to the otherside of the platform. Will was a show-off and flipped off as Ashlyn slide under the chains and ran between the two. Jack threw the rope that was once around his neck toward Will to catch as they charged to the three Officers running toward them. Just as the two men held the rope and flipped the three red-coats, Ashlyn jumped to the side and grabbed one's cutlass.

Jack and Will were behind a stone column and pulled together to knock out the two Officers that were captured inside. Ashlyn ran up the steps and fought off the oncoming Officers to help the two as they dove to another column. Ashlyn joined them on the other side of the Fort. Her sword remained up, as did Will's, even when noticing just how surrounded they were with Officer's bayonets and guns. Will's and Ashlyn's sword clinked with the blades.

Hancock stood facing the same direction as Will, Jack behind them. Norrington approached with his blade to Will.

"I thought we might have to endure some matter of ill-conceived escape attempt," James spoke as he gave a swift glance toward Ashlyn. Jack turned to face the speaking man and popped his head between the two's shoulders. The Governor joined beside the Commodore. "But not from you."

"On our return to Port Royal, I granted you clemency," Governor Swann started, Elizabeth appeared next to her father. "And this is how you thank me? By throwing in your lot with them? They're pirates."

"And good people," Will defended. He dropped his sword in surrender. Ashlyn did not follow, but she did lower hers. She felt Jack move away from them before turning back. "If all I have achieved is the hangman will earn three pairs of boots instead of two, so be it. At least my conscience will be clear."

James stepped closer to the young man; halting when Ashlyn raised her sword to his abdomen. He glanced at her in slight disbelief, but her face remained neutral at her unspoken threat.

"You forget your place, Turner."

Will confidently leaned closer to Norrington's blade, the one he made nonetheless, beside his neck. "It's right here. Between you, Jack, and Ash."

Elizabeth stepped forward to stand next to Will, holding his hand. Ashlyn lowered the cutlass and moved behind the girl.

"As is mine," Miss Swann enlightened the group.

Her father said her name in concern and twicely ordered for the Officers' rifles to be lowered. James looked at Elizabeth for a moment in surprise before he fixed his gaze onto the woman just behind her. The Commodore thought back to Will's words of how his conscience would be cleared. James' mind was jumbled with all different ideas and thoughts, but each one had one common similarity. _Ashlyn Hancock._

He had given her a cut bayonet because for some ungodly reason he felt that he had too. Even though he vowed to kill every pirate, he wanted -nay, _needed _to save her. James was sure she'd find a way out, though it also meant the possibility of Jack's escape, but he was willing to risk it. Norrington's conscience wasn't clear like Turner's. As a Commodore dedicated to the Crown, he must obey the law and Ashlyn was a criminal, an enemy to the Crown. However, there was some invisible pull between him and Miss Hancock, not even he could deny it.

James knew that Ashlyn could never not be a pirate. She had said it herself in the very Fort they were in. She was Hancock, born to die at sea. Ashlyn wasn't meant to be the doting wife wearing elegant dresses and relied on her servants to do what she bidded. She was meant to be a pirate that wore men's trousers and a large feathered Captain's hat while she helped her crew with her tasks instead of remaining by the helm or in her cabin.

Ashlyn Hancock was meant to be free.

"So this is where your heart truly lies, then?" He asked.

"It is," Elizabeth spoke. James turned his eyes to her, only a slight difference, but everyone believed he gazed longingly at the young lass. Everyone, but the downhearted ocean-eyed woman who relayed all her pent-up emotions through her eyes and the curious Sparrow who glanced between the two skeptically.

Jack looked away from his pirate partner and saw a familiar macaw fly off the cannons above them. He nudged Ashlyn. She glanced at the bird and gave a soft smile, though it seemed reluctant.

"Well!" Sparrow started as he walked to the front of the young lovebirds. "I'm actually feeling rather good about this." He stepped up to the Governor and got into the man's face; the man grimacing at their closeness, possibly the smell. "I think we've all arrived at a very special place, aye? Spiritually. Ecumenically. Grammatically."

He moved onto the Commodore, breaking his and Ashlyn's eye contact. "I want you to know that I was rooting for you, mate." He pointed his finger at the man and gestured between him and Elizabeth with a minute glare. "Know that."

Jack moved to Miss Swann and broke her and Will's loving gaze. "Elizabeth. It would never have worked between us, darling." The small group raised a curious brow at Jack's confession, even Ashlyn. "I'm sorry."

Sparrow began walking up the steps.

"Any idea what he means?" Ashlyn whispered to Elizabeth. She widened her eyes though shook her head in denial. Must have been part of Jack's shenanigans.

Jack paused and turned around. "Will. Nice hat."

The lad smiled. Jack turned to Ashlyn and raised a brow, his hands gesturing for her to hurry. She let out a noise of acknowledgement and quickly rotated herself toward the small inner circle.

"Princess," Ashlyn addressed the lass who rolled her eyes. "If I'm to see you again, I want to see you take a page from my book. That means trousers," she smiled. Ashlyn turned to Will and held out her hand for a handshake. "You, dear William, are an honorable and honest young man. See to it that it doesn't get you killed." She moved forward to Elizabeth's father, who was already preparing to step back if she invaded his personal space like Jack did, though she did no such thing. Ashlyn shook his reluctant hand firmly, impressing the gentleman. "Governor Swann, you're a good man," she slapped his shoulder with a smirk, "try to be great."

When Ashlyn moved onto James, she took a moment to think as to what to say. In the end, she decided it was better not to say a word with everyone, especially _concerning_ who was around them. Ashlyn went to her toes and pressed a quick kiss on his cheek. The man instantly flushed and Ashlyn nodded in reassurance of her actions.

"Yeah, sure. That, that works," she muttered to herself.

She was quick to join Jack up the stairs before anyone could say anything, though their faces held hundreds of words.

"Friends!' Jack stated, grabbing everyone's attention once more. The two pirates backed up to the ledge as the red-coats approached with their guns at the ready. "This is a day that you will _always _remember as the day that. . ." Jack tripped over the small ledge before he could finish. His hand reached out and grabbed onto Ashlyn's jacket, bringing her down with him. Norrington, and everyone else, rushed to the ledge and watched as the two pirates splashed into the waters below. They avoided the rocks just as Elizabeth had days ago.

"Idiots." Gillette spoke up. "They have nowhere to go but back to the noose."

* * *

**Waters Below Fort Charles**

* * *

The pirates breached the surface with a huff. Ashlyn pushed saltwater into Jack's face.

"You idiot! You could've killed me!"

"But you're not dead!" Jack defended himself from another rush of water to the face.

"That's not the point!"

"Sail ho!" They heard. The pirates turned to the sound and saw the _Pearl_ sail toward them. Jack smiled and they began swimming towards the ship.

"_Gotta stick to the Code,"_ Jack mocked the woman swimming beside him. He used a high pitched voice for her part. _"Always stick to the Code._ Almost bloody killed me, it did!" Jack returned to his natural voice at the end, splashing water into her face in jest.

"But you're not dead!" She fired back.

* * *

**Fort Charles**

* * *

"What's your plan of action?" Gillette asked the Commodore, who stayed quiet as he watched the pirates. "Sir?"

Governor Swann watched the conflict in James and spoke up in rescue. "Perhaps on the rare occasion pursuing the right course demands an act of piracy. Piracy itself can be the right course?"

James smiled closed-lip.

"Mister Turner!" He addressed.

Will moved away from Elizabeth toward the Commodore but was stopped by Elizabeth's tightened hold on his hand.

"I will accept the consequences of my actions," he told her as he stepped down to Norrington. The Commodore held up his sword in admiration.

"This is a beautiful sword. I would expect the man who made it to show the same care and devotion in every aspect of his life."

"Thank you," Will responded. Norrington walked from the lad.

"Oh, and Miss Swann," James paused. "The very best of luck to you both."

Elizabeth smiled. "And to you," she cheekly responded, though said in all seriousness.

A tiny quirk in his lip appeared before disappearing, suddenly saddened. He turned away and began to walk inside the Fort, followed by his Officers, only to be stopped by one of his Lieutenants.

"Commodore!" Gillette shouted. "What about Sparrow and Hancock? Shall we prepare the Dauntless and pursue"

James gave a small smile. "Well, I think we can afford to give them _one _day's head start." He walked off and his men shadowed behind.

* * *

**Off The Coast Of Port Royal**

* * *

Mr. Cotton threw two ropes down to the pirates as they swam near. With an encouraged 'heave' men pulled onto both lines and the two flew up into the air and landed onto the _Pearl's_ stern deck. The pirates chuckled at one another, seeing as they both didn't land on their feet. A smiling Gibbs approached the soaking wet pirate duo.

"Though you were supposed to keep to the Code," Ashlyn spoke up with an intimidating face. Cotton and Marty walked up beside the first-mate.

"We figured they were more actual. . ._ guidelines," _he responded.

He held out a hand for Jack to take and then moved to help Ashlyn up, Jack being given his hat in the meantime by Mr. Cotton. Ashlyn hesitated on grabbing Gibbs' hand.

"You're not gonna, you know again, are you?" The man only laughed as he forced Ashlyn up and gave her a quick hug; having known she's not big on contact. The female pirate only rolled her eyes and tightly hugged Gibbs back before letting go to address the Code. "Their not guidelines at all, it's law, but I guess I can let it slide." Gibbs smiled at Ashlyn's words. She quickly held up a finger in wait. _"Only_ for this, though."

"Captain Sparrow," Anamaria stated once Jack put the hat on. She approached with Jack's coat and placed it on his shoulders. "The Black Pearl is yours."

Jack smiled as he sauntered to the wheel, caressing the smooth wood. Cotton's macaw flew onto Ashlyn's shoulder. She was quick to stroke the bird's back with a curved finger. He made a face at the standing crew around him. "On deck, you scabrous dogs! Hands to braces! Let down and haul to run free!" Jack ordered as the crew all scurried to positions. Ashlyn remained at Jack's side.

"Now you're just shouting nonsense, Jacky."

Sparrow smirked at the woman but otherwise ignored her comment.

"Now, bring me that horizon," he stated to himself and began humming the song they learned from Elizabeth. He looked at his compass. "And really bad eggs." Ashlyn turned to Jack with a smirk on her face in wait for their next adventure. They spoke the next lyric in unison.

"Drink up, me hearties, yo ho!"

* * *

**A/N: And that's a wrap people! The end has unfortunately come at last for Book One of _The Legacy of A Pirate. _I am in the midst of making Book Two, though it may take some time to actually finish it because I want to have more chapters than 16 (17 including Prologue) and even incorporate some of my own chapters may be shorter than these ones though. I will be continuously editing and updating these chapters, however, to help some plot in Book Two, so if you want, you can always go back to read and find the new goodies. If you have any suggestions, please let me know, I love getting reviews and your opinions on them! Thanks again, love you all!**


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